VerifiedCybersecurity is the one field where a learnership can move you from unemployed to scarce-skill in a single year. Jurumani Solutions runs a Cybersecurity Analyst learnership at NQF Level 5 from Midrand, with weekday classes and a workplace placement afterwards. Places are few and the screening is technical, so it is worth understanding exactly what gets you in.
Four ways to qualify
You need one of these, not all of them:
- Grade 12 with English and Mathematics. The straightforward route for school leavers.
- A National Diploma in IT at NQF Level 5.
- An FET Certificate in IT: Technical Support at Level 4.
- A cybersecurity certificate not issued by a SETA, such as a vendor or online certification.
CompTIA A+ or Network+ counts in your favour without being compulsory. So does being able to talk about how a network moves traffic, what an operating system does with permissions, and what you have broken and fixed on your own machine.
The rest of the gate
- South African citizen, aged 18 to 34.
- Currently unemployed, not on another learnership, and not studying full time elsewhere.
- A clear criminal record. This is not negotiable in security work, where you will handle access to systems.
- Able to attend weekday classes in Midrand for the full year, which means transport five days a week.
- Committed to the full 12 months.
Midrand is the catch. Classes are in person on weekdays, so a learner from Soshanguve or Vereeniging is signing up for a long daily commute on a learner allowance. Work out the fare before you accept a place.
What the year covers
| Area | What you come out able to do |
|---|---|
| Security fundamentals | Understand threats, vulnerabilities and how attacks actually unfold |
| Networking and systems | Read what a network and an operating system are doing, which is the whole job |
| Monitoring and response | Work with the tools that flag suspicious activity and know what to escalate |
| Workplace readiness | Operate inside a professional team, with mentoring and peer support |
| Placement | Apply it in a real environment, which is what turns the certificate into a CV |
If you have no IT background at all
- Start with free vendor fundamentals courses and finish one. A completed course beats five abandoned ones.
- Build something small and be able to explain it: a home network, a reinstalled operating system, a basic script.
- Learn the vocabulary. Interviewers can tell within two minutes whether you have read anything.
- Look at other digital-skills routes in the meantime. Online and blended programmes cover software development, data and IT support.
- Check what MICT SETA funds, since it is the SETA behind most ICT learnerships.
Where to apply
Applications go through the Jurumani careers portal. Intakes are advertised when a cohort is funded rather than on a fixed annual date, so check the portal every few weeks and apply the day an advert appears. Cybersecurity learnerships fill fast, because the field is one of the few where employers are genuinely short of people.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a qualification to do a cybersecurity learnership?
Not necessarily. Grade 12 with English and Mathematics is one accepted route; an IT diploma, an FET certificate in IT technical support, or a non-SETA cybersecurity certificate are the others.
Is the cybersecurity learnership online?
No. Classes are held on weekdays in Midrand, followed by a workplace placement, so you need to be able to travel there daily.
What age do I have to be?
Between 18 and 34, South African, unemployed, not on another learnership and not studying full time.
Will CompTIA A+ help my application?
Yes. A+ or Network+ is treated as an advantage, though neither is compulsory.