VerifiedGauteng has more learnership places than any other province, for a plain reason: most large employers have their head office, their main distribution centre or their biggest branch network here. That also makes it the most competitive province to apply in, and the most expensive one to train in once you count the taxi fare. This page covers both sides.
Which sectors recruit in Johannesburg and Gauteng
| Sector | Where in the province | Employers with their own application portals |
|---|---|---|
| Banking and financial services | Sandton, Rosebank, Braamfontein | Capitec, Old Mutual |
| Retail and pharmacy | Stores across Johannesburg, Pretoria and the East Rand | Dis-Chem, Truworths, TFG |
| Logistics, rail and warehousing | City Deep, Kempton Park, Germiston | Transnet, Coca-Cola Beverages |
| Energy and technical trades | Megawatt Park, Sunninghill and sites across the province | Eskom |
| Motor retail and aftersales | Dealerships across the province | Motus |
| Local government internships | Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg and Tshwane | Ekurhuleni eRecruitment, City of Johannesburg |
Those portals carry the current adverts. For the wider list of employers that recruit learners every year, see who is recruiting and when, and for what each sector expects of applicants see learnerships by sector.
What you will be paid, and what Gauteng costs
The minimum is set nationally, in Schedule 2 of the National Minimum Wage Act, and it does not rise because you are in Gauteng. These amounts have been binding since 1 March 2026.
| NQF level | Credits earned | At least, a week | About, a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| NQF 1 to 2 | 0 - 120 | R455,00 | R1 971,52 |
| NQF 1 to 2 | 121 - 240 | R909,94 | R3 942,77 |
| NQF 3 | 0 - 120 | R455,00 | R1 971,52 |
| NQF 3 | 121 - 240 | R856,94 | R3 713,12 |
| NQF 3 | 241 - 360 | R1 402,87 | R6 078,64 |
| NQF 4 | 0 - 120 | R455,00 | R1 971,52 |
| NQF 4 | 121 - 240 | R910,04 | R3 943,20 |
| NQF 4 | 241 - 360 | R1 402,87 | R6 078,64 |
| NQF 4 | 361 - 480 | R2 047,41 | R8 871,43 |
| NQF 5 to 8 | 0 - 120 | R455,00 | R1 971,52 |
| NQF 5 to 8 | 121 - 240 | R985,76 | R4 271,30 |
| NQF 5 to 8 | 241 - 360 | R1 474,90 | R6 390,74 |
| NQF 5 to 8 | 361 - 480 | R2 077,79 | R9 003,06 |
| NQF 5 to 8 | 481 - 600 | R2 654,04 | R11 499,96 |
Schedule 2 of the National Minimum Wage Act, as amended by Government Notice R.7083 (Government Gazette 54075 of 3 February 2026) and binding from 1 March 2026. The monthly column is the weekly figure × 4.333, the conversion the same notice uses. Employers may pay more than this, and many do. Read the notice.
- Work out your travel first. Two taxi trips a day, five days a week, is the single biggest cost of a Gauteng learnership. Compare it with the band you would fall into before you accept a placement on the other side of the province.
- Ask whether transport is provided. Distribution centres in Kempton Park and City Deep sometimes run staff transport, and mining and manufacturing employers sometimes pay a travel allowance on top of the learner allowance.
- Ask when payment starts. A first allowance often lands a month after induction, so plan for four to six weeks of travel before the first payment.
- Check the band, not the advert. Some Gauteng adverts quote a figure below the legal minimum for the credits you already hold. See what a learnership must pay you.
Where Gauteng opportunities are advertised
- SAYouth.mobi, which filters opportunities by where you live, and costs no data to use.
- The employer’s own careers portal, which is where the real advert and the real closing date live.
- Municipal vacancy pages, for internships in the metros. The City of Ekurhuleni eRecruitment portal is one example, and we cover its finance internship in detail.
- The provincial government site, gauteng.gov.za, for provincial departments and their programmes.
- Accredited training providers based in Midrand, Centurion and Randburg, which recruit for employers. See how SETA funding reaches learners.
A large share of learnership scams target Gauteng job seekers, because so many people are looking here. No legitimate Gauteng employer asks for a fee, an “administration payment” or your banking details before you have signed a learnership agreement.
Who qualifies
- South African citizen with a valid ID.
- Usually 18 to 34, though some programmes go to 35.
- Grade 10 or 11 for entry-level retail and warehousing, Matric for most NQF 4 programmes.
- Unemployed, and not already on another funded programme.
- Mathematics or Physical Science for technical and engineering programmes.
Employers with head offices in Sandton and Rosebank tend to shortlist on marks, because they receive thousands of applications. Distribution centres and store-based programmes weigh reliability and how far you live from the site more heavily.
Applying from outside Gauteng
You can, and many people do, but read the advert carefully. Programmes that say “must reside in” a named area are enforcing it, and relocation is rarely paid for at learner level. If you are moving anyway, apply for placements near where you will actually be living, and say so in the application.
If Gauteng is not working out
- Look at logistics learnerships, which recruit in every province with a distribution centre.
- Look at online and blended programmes, which cut travel out entirely for desk-based fields.
- Register on SA Youth anyway. See how to register: it matches you to opportunities near your own address.
Frequently asked questions
Which Johannesburg companies offer learnerships?
Banks and insurers in Sandton and Rosebank, retailers and pharmacies across the metro, logistics employers around City Deep and Kempton Park, Eskom and Transnet, and the metros themselves for internships. Each advertises on its own careers portal.
How much do learnerships pay in Johannesburg?
The same legal minimum as anywhere else, from R455 a week for a learner with no credits yet, rising with credits earned. Many Gauteng employers pay above it, but the province does not change the floor.
Do I need Matric for a learnership in Gauteng?
Not always. Retail and warehousing programmes often accept Grade 10 or 11. Most NQF Level 4 programmes ask for Matric, and technical ones ask for Mathematics or Physical Science.
When do Gauteng learnerships open?
The heaviest advertising runs from September to November for intakes starting in January and February, with a second wave from February to April once SETA funding is confirmed for the new financial year.