Free Training & Career Tips... Subscribe to Get Weekly Career Tips
By Subscribing You are Agreeing to Terms and Conditions
EWSETA is the Energy and Water Sector Education and Training Authority, one of South Africa’s 21 SETAs. It plans skills for the energy and water sector, pays levy grants to employers and funds learnerships, bursaries and other learning programmes. Since the move to the QCTO, training providers for occupational qualifications and skills programmes are accredited by the QCTO rather than by a SETA. For workplace programmes run under that system, see BOTI’s QCTO-accredited courses and qualifications.
Building your career?
Add a certificate to your CV with BOTI e-learning: 142 self-paced online courses – Excel, Word, project management, customer service and more – from R595 (excl. VAT) with 6 months’ access.
See the e-learning courses
Rather have your employer pay? Here’s how to ask
Add a certificate to your CV with BOTI e-learning: 142 self-paced online courses – Excel, Word, project management, customer service and more – from R595 (excl. VAT) with 6 months’ access.
See the e-learning courses
Rather have your employer pay? Here’s how to ask
Training your staff?
BOTI is accredited by the QCTO (Quality Council for Trades and Occupations) as a skills development provider, and is a Level 1 B-BBEE (Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment) contributor. Plan the training in your Workplace Skills Plan and count it towards your B-BBEE skills development score.
Get a quote for your team
BOTI is accredited by the QCTO (Quality Council for Trades and Occupations) as a skills development provider, and is a Level 1 B-BBEE (Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment) contributor. Plan the training in your Workplace Skills Plan and count it towards your B-BBEE skills development score.
Get a quote for your team
What is EWSETA?
Across South Africa, many young people and working adults are trying to learn new skills and build on the ones they have. SETAs (Sector Education and Training Authorities) give them a route to do this by funding and coordinating training in each economic sector. Each SETA’s board brings together employers, trade unions, government and, where applicable, bargaining councils. There are currently 21 SETAs, each covering its own sector of the economy. If you are new to the system, BOTI’s guide What is a SETA? explains the basics.
SETAs were set up to plan skills properly, sector by sector, within the national skills development system. The first SETAs were established in 2000 under the Skills Development Act of 1998, and each was given its own sectors and sub-sectors.
The Energy & Water Sector Education and Training Authority (EWSETA) took its current shape when the SETA landscape was re-established in 2011.
The SETAs’ current licence period runs from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2030. The President announced SETA rationalisation in the State of the Nation Address on 12 February 2026. In April 2026 the Department of Higher Education and Training said that options, including consolidation, would go to Cabinet. No final merger decision had been published by October 2026, so check the latest position before you plan long-term.
According to the article’s original sources, the 2011 changes moved the electrical contractors sub-sector out of EWSETA to the Construction Education and Training Authority (CETA). Water distribution moved from the Local Government Education and Training Sector Authority (LGSETA) to EWSETA.
Electrical contracting sits naturally with the building industry rather than with the supply of electricity. EWSETA has remained the skills authority for both the energy and the water sectors.
The aims of the Energy and Water Sector Education and Training Authority (EWSETA) are to:
- research and understand the demand for skills and the supply of skills in its sector;
- coordinate and support skills development programmes that are relevant to its stakeholders and in line with national skills priorities;
- build a pipeline of skills that supports economic development, job creation and poverty reduction.
Under the national skills development strategy, EWSETA manages skills development in its sector through sector skills planning. This involves:
- drawing up a Sector Skills Plan and putting it into practice through learning programmes;
- receiving employers’ Workplace Skills Plans and Annual Training Reports;
- paying grants to employers, education and training providers and workers;
- monitoring education and training in the sector;
- supporting learnerships and other training initiatives.
EWSETA also helps build learning partnerships with employers in the sector by:
- finding workplaces where learners can gain practical experience;
- supporting the people who develop learning materials;
- helping to finalise learnership agreements;
- supporting learnership arrangements.
What is the function of EWSETA?
EWSETA’s main aim is to build and strengthen skills in the energy and water industry. To do this, it designs and carries out a Sector Skills Plan, identifies scarce and critical skills, and funds learning programmes that lead to registered qualifications on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).
EWSETA manages the Skills Development Levy paid by employers in its sector and encourages learning opportunities in the workplace. Under the old system, SETAs also ran their own Education and Training Quality Assurance (ETQA) units that accredited training providers for unit-standard qualifications. Today, quality assurance for occupational qualifications sits with the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), and SETAs work with it as Quality Partners. BOTI’s guide SETA vs QCTO sets out who does what.
Like all SETAs, EWSETA operates under the Skills Development Act and the Skills Development Levies Act. It focuses on its own sector, identifying and improving the skills and learning programmes that the sector needs.
These programmes range from short skills programmes to longer qualifications studied at colleges and universities.
Much of the expertise needed in the electricity, energy and water sectors is highly specialised and technical.
The sub-sectors have included:
- electrical energy;
- nuclear power;
- renewable energy;
- electrical contracting, which moved to CETA because it is more closely linked to building and construction;
- water, including water distribution, which was previously covered by LGSETA.
Not every role in the sector needs advanced qualifications, but the sector does need well-qualified and competent people in many technical posts.
Raising education and training levels across the workforce benefits employers, workers and the communities that depend on reliable energy and water services.
Since SETAs were established, their work has focused on:
- gathering data on the sector’s skills needs;
- identifying training needs and planning programmes to meet them;
- working with stakeholders and organisations in the sector;
- supporting the development of new skills to meet the sector’s needs.
To build its Sector Skills Plan, EWSETA carries out labour market research.
Employers’ Workplace Skills Plans and Annual Training Reports are an important source of this information. BOTI explains how these are put together in What is a Workplace Skills Plan?
The research shows which occupations and skills are in short supply in the sector.
EWSETA uses this information to support learning initiatives such as adult education programmes, apprenticeships, skills programmes and learnerships.
Learnerships are open to people already working in the industry who want to build their skills further, as well as to unemployed people.
EWSETA Accreditation
Accreditation is the formal recognition that a training provider can deliver a learning programme to the required standard within South Africa’s quality assurance system.
Under the old system, a SETA accredited a training provider once it had shown that it met the SETA’s conditions and could deliver quality training against NQF requirements. Many people still search for a “SETA-accredited service provider” for this reason.
Today the rule is different. Any Skills Development Provider that offers occupational qualifications, part-qualifications or skills programmes must apply directly to the QCTO for accreditation. The QCTO runs the accreditation process with its Quality Partners, which include SETAs, under signed service level agreements. The QCTO has also issued trade certificates since 1 October 2013.
Providers that a SETA accredited for legacy (pre-2009) qualifications may keep teaching learners already enrolled on those qualifications until each qualification’s teach-out period ends. After that, the SETA accreditation lapses. To offer the replacement occupational qualifications, a provider needs QCTO accreditation.
For learners, accreditation matters because it confirms that the training counts towards a registered qualification. Accreditation also helps learners secure workplace placements, learnerships and apprenticeships with employers who need recognised skills.
Before you sign up for any programme, check that the provider is accredited by the QCTO for that specific qualification or skills programme. If it is a legacy qualification, check that the qualification is still open for enrolment.
In the QCTO process, a prospective Skills Development Provider submits an application with supporting documents. The application is evaluated, and where it meets the criteria, a site visit is arranged to confirm that the provider is ready to deliver. The applicant is told the outcome in writing. QCTO accreditation lasts five years from the date it is granted, and the QCTO can withdraw it.[1] For more on the change, read BOTI’s guide to the QCTO transition.
EWSETA Funding
Regulations govern how the Skills Development Levy that employers pay is shared out as mandatory and discretionary grants, and how those grants are paid. EWSETA operates under the Skills Development Act, and SETAs fall under the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET).
EWSETA sets out in a grant policy how it pays grants to carry out its Sector Skills Plan (SSP) and Annual Performance Plan (APP). The SSP is based on research and consultation with stakeholders. It aims to build skills and job opportunities in the energy and water sector and to help the sector keep pace with a changing economy.
The grant policy links levy funding to the skills employers need and to employees’ training needs. It also tells stakeholders how grants can encourage wider participation. EWSETA monitors how funds are used and measures how far the policy’s goals are met, including the effect of grants on learners, employers and the sector.
EWSETA’s funding comes from the Skills Development Levy paid by energy and water sector employers. The levy is 1% of payroll.[2] Of each levy, 80% goes to the SETA: 49.5% for discretionary grants, 20% for mandatory grants, 10% for administration and 0.5% for the QCTO. The other 20% goes to the National Skills Fund.[3] Discretionary grants focus on PIVOTAL (Professional, Vocational, Technical and Academic Learning) programmes, which lead to qualifications or part-qualifications on the NQF.[4] Unclaimed mandatory grant money moves to discretionary funding by 15 August each year.[3] BOTI’s guide to the Skills Development Levy covers the levy in more detail.
Mandatory grants help levy-paying employers plan and report on their staff training. The mandatory grant is 20% of the levy an employer has paid. It is paid back only when the employer submits its Workplace Skills Plan and Annual Training Report by 30 April and its levy payments are up to date.[3] These submissions also give EWSETA employer data on the skills needed, which feeds into the Sector Skills Plan. Discretionary grants, by contrast, target the sector’s priority skills as set out in the Annual Performance Plan and Sector Skills Plan. They are used for learnerships, internships, apprenticeships and other professional, vocational, technical and academic training. For step-by-step guidance, see how to claim SETA funding.
When applying for a discretionary grant, applicants are typically asked for:
- A completed application form that complies with the discretionary grant policy. Separate forms usually apply to private employers, public employers, training providers and unemployed learners.
- Documents proving the company’s registration.
- Evidence of registration with relevant professional bodies, where applicable.
- Proof of Skills Development Levy payments, proof of exemption, or proof of SARS registration.
- Details of the assessor and moderator for the relevant qualification.
Funding windows and requirements change, so always check EWSETA’s current call for applications before you apply.
How do you get a SETA Learnership?
A learnership is a structured learning programme that combines theory with practical workplace experience and leads to a registered qualification. Its length depends on the qualification. BOTI’s guide to SETA learnerships explains the different types.
Before starting a SETA learnership, learners should meet certain requirements:
- Learners may be new entrants (unemployed) or existing staff.
- Learners must meet the entry requirements of the qualification they want to study.
- Learners must meet the selection criteria of the employer taking them on.
A learnership usually follows these steps for learners, employers and training providers:
- The employer’s workplace is approved as suitable for the practical component.
- The training provider is accredited to offer the qualification (by the QCTO for occupational qualifications).
- Qualified assessors are available, either from the provider or in-house.
- The employer advertises the learnership opportunities.
- Learners apply and are selected through the employer’s recruitment process.
- The learner, the employer and the training provider sign a learnership agreement.
- Where the learner is unemployed, the learner and the employer also sign a fixed-term employment contract.
- The learning programme is agreed with the training provider.
- The employer may apply to the SETA for a discretionary grant to help fund the learnership.
- The employer and the training provider deliver the workplace and theory components.
- Learners are supported through mentoring and feedback.
- Assessors carry out formative and internal summative assessments.
- For new occupational qualifications, the learner writes the External Integrated Summative Assessment (EISA) at a QCTO-accredited assessment centre.
- On successful completion, the learner receives a certificate. For occupational qualifications, the QCTO issues it.
- Learners who do not finish receive a statement of the results they have achieved.
When the learnership ends, the employer may offer the learner another learning programme or a job. Otherwise, the learner leaves with a recognised qualification and workplace experience to take to another employer. Employers thinking about taking on learners can read BOTI’s guide on how to host a learnership.
Under the Skills Development Act, a learnership should include:
- A structured learning component.
- Practical work experience.
- A link to an occupation.
- A registered qualification on successful completion.
EWSETA Qualifications
Qualifications in the EWSETA sector fall under the Skills Development Act, the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO). The QCTO manages the Occupational Qualifications Sub-Framework and oversees the development of new occupational qualifications. Older (pre-2009) qualifications are being replaced by occupational qualifications through a process called realignment. Qualifications with no learner enrolments or with a replacement in place are deregistered.
Under the Minister’s final Directive (Government Gazette 54858, 17 June 2026),[5] SETAs remain accountable for developing, replacing and implementing occupational qualifications and skills programmes. The QCTO oversees quality assurance. Within that system, a Development Quality Partner (DQP) develops a qualification and an Assessment Quality Partner (AQP) manages its assessment. Sector employers and stakeholders can ask EWSETA to develop a new qualification or consolidate existing ones. The SETA then manages the development work and submits the qualification to the QCTO for approval.
The table below lists qualifications historically associated with EWSETA, with their NQF level and minimum credits. Most are legacy (pre-2009) qualifications. The June 2026 Directive granted final extensions of 6 to 24 months to selected pre-2009 qualifications only.[5][6] Dates differ for each qualification, and many have closed to new enrolment or been replaced. Check each qualification’s SAQA record before you enrol or plan a learnership.
| Title of Learnership or Qualification | NQF Level | Minimum Credits |
| Further Education and Training Certificate: Domestic Appliance Repair | 4 | 150 |
| Further Education and Training Certificate: Sanitation Project Facilitation | 4 | 151 |
| Further Education and Training Certificate: Water Reticulation and Waste water Services | 4 | 135 |
| Further Education and Training Certificate: Water Purification Processes | 4 | 160 |
| National Certificate: Community Water, Health and Sanitation Monitoring | 3 | 130 |
| National Certificate: Community Water, Health and Sanitation Promotion | 2 | 127 |
| National Certificate: Industrial Water Treatment Support System Operations | 2 | 128 |
| National Certificate: Sanitation Project Co-ordination | 5 | 149 |
| National Certificate: Water and Wastewater Process Control | 3 | 138 |
| National Certificate: Water and Wastewater Reticulation Services | 2 | 124 |
| National Certificate: Water and Wastewater Reticulation Services | 3 | 124 |
| National Certificate: Water and Wastewater Treatment Process Operations | 2 | 136 |
| National Certificate: Water Reticulation Services | 2 | 126 |
| General Education and Training Certificate: General Technical Practice | 1 | 130 |
| National Certificate: Domestic Appliance Repair | 3 | 131 |
| National Certificate: Electrical Engineering: Electrical Distribution | 3 | 133 |
| National Certificate: Master Craftsmanship (Electrical) | 5 | 121 |
| National Certificate: Measurement, Control and Instrumentation | 5 | 121 |
| National Certificate: Measurement, Control and Instrumentation | 2 | 133 |
| National Certificate: Metrology | 5 | 138 |
| National Degree: Master Craftsmanship (Electrical) | 6 | 418 |
| National Diploma: Electrical Network Power Dispatch Controlling | 5 | 240 |
| National Diploma: Master Craftsmanship (Electrical) | 5 | 253 |
| Further Education and Training Certificate: Cable Jointing and Termination | 4 | 228 |
| Further Education and Training Certificate: Electrical Network Control | 4 | 190 |
| Further Education and Training Certificate: Power Plant Operations | 4 | 130 |
| National Certificate: Fossil Power Plant Operation | 4 | 183 |
EWSETA Bursary
The EWSETA bursary helps students study for careers in the energy and water sector. Applicants need an interest in one of EWSETA’s sub-sectors and usually need good results in Mathematics and Physical Science.
EWSETA bursaries target fields of study linked to the energy and water sector. Fields covered in a previous call included:
- Engineering Studies
- Hydrology and Water Resources Management (B.Sc)
- Electrical Engineering (Dip / B.Tech)
- Civil Engineering (B.Eng)
- Information Systems Management
- Quality (B.Tech/ M.Tech)
- Supply Chain Management (Dipl/ Adv.Dipl/ Bachelor degree/ Honours degree)
- Engineering Technology (Computer Systems)
- Marketing (Dipl / P.Dipl / B.Commerce/ B.Commerce Honours)
- Information Technology (Adv.Dipl / Bachelor degree)
In line with EWSETA’s Sector Skills Plan (SSP), the bursary funds qualifications on EWSETA’s Sectoral Priority Occupations List (SPOL). The list is published here: https://ewseta.org.za/sector-skills-plan/. Fields outside the sector’s priority occupations are generally not covered, so check the current list before you apply.
In past calls, the bursary covered textbooks, tuition fees, meals, stationery and accommodation. Cover, fields and closing dates can change from year to year.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must meet the minimum entry criteria below. Applications that do not meet all of them are not considered.
- South African citizen
- Matric or equivalent completed
- Currently studying at, or admitted to, a recognised tertiary institution in South Africa (university or TVET college)
- Studying, or accepted to study, in a field relevant to the energy and water sector
- Priority is given to applicants from historically disadvantaged groups (young people, black people and women) and to applicants with disabilities.
How to apply for the bursary
Get the current EWSETA bursary application form from EWSETA and complete it in full.
Send valid copies of the following supporting documents with your completed application form. These documents are mandatory, and incomplete applications are disregarded:
- Certified copy of your ID document
- Certified copy of your matric certificate or equivalent (first-year students)
- Certified copy of your previous academic record or results (second- or third-year students)
- Evidence of your application or provisional acceptance from a university or TVET college (first-time applicants). If you do not have it yet, submit it as soon as you receive it.
- Proof of household annual income
In previous calls, completed application forms and supporting documents were submitted by email to [email protected], with “EWSETA Bursary Application – Your Full Name” in the subject line. Confirm the current submission method and closing date with EWSETA before you apply.
Frequently asked questions
What is a SETA-accredited service provider?
Under the old system, each SETA accredited training providers for the unit-standard qualifications in its sector. Today, providers that offer occupational qualifications, part-qualifications and skills programmes must be accredited by the QCTO, and SETAs act as QCTO Quality Partners. A provider may still hold SETA accreditation for a legacy qualification until that qualification’s teach-out period ends.
How do I apply for an EWSETA learnership?
EWSETA supports learnerships through employers and training providers in the energy and water sector, so most opportunities are advertised by those employers. Watch for their adverts, check that you meet the entry requirements of the qualification, and apply through the employer’s recruitment process. Successful learners sign a learnership agreement with the employer and the training provider.
Can SETA funding be used for in-service training?
SETAs pay discretionary grants for learnerships, internships, apprenticeships and other programmes in their Sector Skills Plan, usually through funding windows open to employers and training providers. Whether a specific in-service training placement qualifies depends on the SETA’s current grant policy and funding window, so check EWSETA’s latest call before you plan on it.
What are SETA-aligned learnerships?
The phrase usually means a learnership linked to a qualification that falls under a particular SETA and is funded or supported by that SETA. A learnership combines structured learning with practical workplace experience and leads to a registered qualification. For new occupational qualifications, the learner writes an External Integrated Summative Assessment (EISA) and the QCTO issues the certificate.
How many SETAs are there in South Africa?
There are 21 SETAs, licensed for the period 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2030. The President announced SETA rationalisation in February 2026, but no final merger decision had been published by October 2026.
Plan your SETA submissions with BOTI
BOTI does not run EWSETA’s energy and water qualifications or learnerships. If your role is to manage training, Workplace Skills Plans, Annual Training Reports and SETA grant applications, the closest BOTI course is the Skills Development Facilitator (SDF) Training Course. For accredited workplace qualifications, see BOTI’s QCTO occupational certificates. Training runs in-house at your premises, at BOTI’s venue in Sunningdale, Johannesburg, or live online. This course is not accredited. It is delivered as a professional skills programme, and delegates receive a BOTI certificate of attendance. Call BOTI on 011 882 8853 or email [email protected], or request a quote.
Sources
- For skills development providers – Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), 2026.
- Skills Development Levy – South African Revenue Service (SARS), 2026.
- Mandatory Grants – Health and Welfare SETA (HWSETA), 2026.
- Grants Policy 2025/26 – merSETA, 2024.
- Directive on the implementation of transitional arrangements for pre-2009 qualifications (Government Gazette 54858) – Minister of Higher Education and Training, 17 June 2026.
- Pre-2009 Extended Qualifications – South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), June 2026.
For employers: put your skills levy to work
We train your staff at your offices, online or at a BOTI venue. Training can be planned in your Workplace Skills Plan, and spend on training black employees counts towards the skills development element of your B-BBEE scorecard.
Accredited programmes · All courses · SDF service for your Workplace Skills Plan
Building your own skills? Start an online course with a certificate today, or ask your employer to pay.