FoodBev SETA: Food and Beverage Manufacturing SETA

What is FoodBev SETA?

The Food and Beverages Manufacturing Sector Education and Training Authority (FoodBev SETA) is currently one of South Africa’s 21 Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) and one of the relatively new SETAs.

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This guide to the food and beverage SETA (FoodBev SETA) explains what it covers, how training providers are accredited now that the QCTO accredits them, how employers claim grants, how learnerships and bursaries work, and which food and beverage SETA qualifications are listed. If you are an employer in the sector planning skills programmes or learnerships for staff in business and management roles, you can compare BOTI’s accredited qualifications and skills programmes.

FoodBev SETA, just like the other SETAs, is authorized across South Africa to facilitate skill development in the Food and Beverages manufacturing sector. Besides facilitating skill development and training acquisition, the FoodBev SETA is also authorized to put the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS) initiatives into use across the country.

Within the FoodBev SETA are five sub-sectors, which are called chambers. These chambers include the following:

Manufacturing of Food Preservation Products

This sub-sector is the largest operating sub-sector in the FoodBev SETA. It is responsible for producing materials used in making other foods or beverages. Products like sauces, spices, and additives are produced in this sector.

Beverage Manufacturing

The sub-sector that handles beverage manufacturing is involved in producing beer, soft drinks, spirits, wine, and mineral water. The beverages produced largely in this sub-sector are beer and wine.

Production of preserved and processed meat, fish, fruit, and vegetables

This sub-sector carries out numerous activities. They are involved in the processing and preserving of fish, fish products, fruits, vegetables, meat, and meat products. They also produce, process, and preserve these meat and meat products by slaughtering, dressing, and packaging animals. These animals could be poultry, small livestock, lard, and various edible meat. They are involved in producing preserved and previously prepared meat, canned and processed foods, vegetable oils, animal fats, and dried fruits and vegetables. Other products like processed fish and other kinds of seafood are manufactured.

Baking, cereals, confectionery, and snacks

This sub-sector handles bakery products, breakfast foods, chocolate, cocoa, sweet pastries, and nuts. Businesses operating in this sector are involved in activities like baking; cooking, drying; and salting.

Dairy manufacturing

The dairy manufacturing sub-sector produces all dairy products like cheese, ice-cream, milk, butter, and yogurt. The sub-sector also produces edible ice.

All these chambers listed above operate according to the constitution of FoodBev Manufacturing SETA through an organized chamber committee. This committee consists of important industry stakeholders like employer organizations, labor force groups or bodies, and other similar organizations that affect the activities of the food and beverage manufacturing sectors. These chambers play a very key role in ensuring that the FoodBev SETA achieves fulfill its set obligations and responsibilities. Different operating companies have been grouped under different chambers according to the activities they carry out.

Companies that carry out these activities are part of the Food Preparation Products sub-sector:

Production of petroleum and oilseed cake and meal
Production of macaroni, noodles, and similar farinaceous products
Production of compound cooking fats, margarine, and edible oils
Production of food preparation products
Production of Tobacco
Production of spices, vinegar condiments, yeast, soups, egg products, and other food products

Detailed activities of the Beverage manufacturing sub-sector are:

Production of soft drinks,
Production of mineral waters
Production of beer and other malt liquors and malt Breweries (except sorghum)
Production of beverages
Distilling, rectifying, and blending of spirits, alcohol production from fermented materials, and Production of wine
Manufacturing of malt
Sorghum beer breweries

The individual activities of the processed and preserved meat, fish, fruit, and vegetables sub-sector include:

Production of canned, preserved, prepared, and dried fruit and vegetables (except soups)
Production, processing and preservation of fish, meat, fruit, vegetables, oils, and fats
Production of canned, preserved, and processed fish, crustaceans, and similar foods.
Production, processing, and preserving of meat as well as meat products
Processing and preserving of fruit and vegetables
Production of animal and vegetable oils and fats
Production of prepared and preserved meat, including sausage
Production of lard and other edible fats

The detailed activities of the Baking, Cereals, Confectionery, and Snacks (BCCS) chamber are:

Production of coffee, coffee substitutes, and tea
Production of Bakery Products
Production of nut food
Production of cocoa, chocolate, and sugar confectionery
Production of Breakfast Foods

The main activities in Dairy Manufacturing are outlined below:

Processing of fresh milk
Production of ice cream and associated edible ice products
Production of dairy products
Production of milk powder. Condensed milk and other edible milk products
Production of butter and cheese

The development of skills through vocational training in sectors like these is a big advantage for today’s youth. Skills development expands their employment and life opportunities. It also equips and empowers them with the right tools as individuals in the workforce. Besides the primary skill these sub-sectors provide, they allow learners to enhance their time management, networking, and communication skills. All these skills, including the training skills they acquire, contribute to the South African economic growth and development in the long run.

Functions of the FoodBev SETA

The SETAs were established for many purposes, but one of the most important ones is developing and facilitating skills acquisition in various sectors, which applies to the FoodBev SETA in the food and beverage manufacturing sectors. The SETAs also identify various skill development needs in different industries and are involved in maintaining national standards according to the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). The SETAs are authorized to organize and implement sector skills plans and supervise the formal education and vocational training initiatives within the relevant sectors and sub-sectors. These sector skills plans help determine important and valuable skills in employers’ demand to empower the students and learners with such skills. The SETAs also supervise the implementation of these plans.

The SETAs also organize learnership programs for members of the workforce and those who are unemployed. These are learning opportunities that are important for learners and employers because they gain relevant skills through this training. To enhance the country’s tertiary education system, the SETAs promote the NQF interventions alongside the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). The contributions of the NQF towards the quality and standards of training have been very significant over the years. Another independent body, the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), is involved in quality assurance, and the SETAs work hand-in-hand with this organization. FoodBev SETA, like the other SETAs, oversees the funding process in the food and beverage manufacturing industries by effectively disbursing the skill development levies generated from employers in the sector. These funds are used for managerial costs, grants, and bursaries in the sub-sectors. As statutory bodies established by the Act of Parliament, the SETAs are mandated to communicate with the Director of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) concerning public funds’ judicious use.

As an independent authority, the FoodBev SETA works to ensure the availability of high standards and vital learning programs. They also oversee the maintenance of such set standards and make relevant skills and training easily accessible by all food and beverage manufacturing sectors.

As part of the obligations and responsibilities of FoodBev SETA, it encourages skills development through some incentives and facilitates the acquisition of training by implementing several benefits strategies for learners. The twenty-one SETAs were established and implemented to achieve the aims and objectives of the Skills Development Act. These objectives include:

Improving the levels of productivity in various sectors and industries;
Developing and enhancing the skills of the South African youth that will culminate in economic development;
Empowering the workforce with the much-needed training and education to be successfully self-employed;
Increasing the standards of living of workers in different industries while improving their work prospects.

The five chambers of the FoodBev SETA also have roles to play within their different sub-sectors to achieve the goals of the FoodBev SETA collectively. These roles include:

To guide the South African Youth on the skills development path and to enable them to maximize their potential.
To recognize the education and training needs within the sub-sectors and to assist in meeting these needs via numerous training programs and learning opportunities
To provide leadership and counsel on issues that concern the growth of the sub-sectors
To identify and execute strategic projects that will ensure development within the FoodBev SETA as a whole.

Member organizations of the FoodBev SETA and other key players are devoted to improving the quality of learning opportunities for the workforce and maintaining the standards that have been set while making available relevant and high-standard training and qualifications for those concerned. They are also committed to ensuring easy access to such quality learning and training opportunities to actualize the FoodBev SETA vision, making available the relevant skills and adequate knowledge for all those in the food and beverages manufacturing sector.

FoodBev SETA Accreditation

In line with the FoodBev SETA values and the SETA at large, which are; accountability, integrity, respect, and service excellence, training providers must follow protocol and show that they operate according to the vision, mission, and values of the FoodBev SETA. To this end, providers who want to offer occupational qualifications, part-qualifications or skills programmes in the food and beverage manufacturing sector apply for accreditation directly to the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO). Under the old system, FoodBev SETA’s Education and Training Quality Assurance (ETQA) function accredited training providers for unit-standard qualifications. Today SETAs work with the QCTO as Quality Partners, and a provider FoodBev SETA accredited for a legacy qualification keeps that accreditation only until the qualification’s teach-out period ends.

The FoodBev SETA prioritizes the delivery of its commitments and responsibilities in a transparent and accountable manner to meet key players’ needs and other stakeholders in the body and satisfy them. On this note, training providers in this sector will be accredited if they satisfy the standards and requirements according to the FoodBev SETA goals. The training provider must provide evidence of the appropriate full and part qualification the training center provides according to the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). There should also be systems and equipment that facilitate learning at these centers and verified assessors and moderators who handle the learners’ assessment. The designed training syllabus must satisfy the standards and qualifications, and the mode of evaluating learners must be valid and well-grounded.

All prospective training providers must meet the QCTO’s accreditation requirements for the specific qualification or skills programme they want to offer. Accredited training providers deliver relevant training programs. The providers and institutions are easier to locate based on the program’s details and the province where interested candidates are located. To apply for accreditation, the prospective training providers must fill the necessary application form and provide supporting documents, which include: a verified tax clearance certificate received from the South African Revenue Services (SARS) or proof of exemption; evidence of financial capability to provide training services during the time which the training provider is accredited; certificated showing registration status of the institution or company; proof of qualified and certified facilitators to provide relevant qualifications; credible occupational health and safety certificate for the particular occupation; evidence of learner appeal policy and specified code of conduct.

After providing and submitting necessary documents, The Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), which is responsible for qualifications and standards for various occupations and trades across the country, will assess the submitted application and confirm the information’s credibility in the filled form and the supporting documents. Afterward, the authenticity is verified; the QCTO informs the prospective SDP about the evaluation results. Suppose the application from a prospective training provider meets the requirements. In that case, the QCTO will suggest a date for a visit to the intended training site to assess commencement readiness. If the training provider does not meet the required standards, a letter will be sent stating this. After the site visit and positive accreditation outcome, a letter will be sent to the applicant, and the training provider will be accredited for five years^[1].

FoodBev SETA Funding

Funding is necessary to fulfill the mission statement of the FoodBev SETA, which includes:

Expanding the opportunities to acquire relevant skills and have easy access to training programs even in rural areas
Providing high-quality training standards and qualifications that will culminate in the growth of the sector
Creating an effective and standard system that facilitates skills development

According to the Skills Development Levy Act (SDLA), all employers within the food and beverage manufacturing sector with an annual salary payroll of more than R500,000 must pay 1% of this salary as skills development levy^[2] towards the National Skills Fund (NSF), the administrative costs of running the FoodBev SETA and grants.

Funding for FoodBev SETA is generated from the skills development levy, which is collected from employers in the food and beverage manufacturing sector. Administrative costs involve those incurred from managing and running the body. Ten percent of the levy^[3] used for FoodBev SETA is allocated towards these expenses. The other portion of the levy is utililsed for mandatory as well as discretionary grant funding.

The mandatory grants are designed to cater to education and training programs and enable employers to organise and implement training programs on behalf of their employees.

Certain criteria need to be met by employers before they can receive mandatory grants, which include:

Employers are required to be registered with the commissioner of SARS.
Employers are required to have paid all past levies at the time of approval.
Employers are required to provide signed off evidence of consultant with organised labour where applicable
Employers are required to have submitted the WSP and ATR to contribute to the FoodBev SETA Sector Skills Plan (SSP)
Employers must have paid levies to the commissioner within the stipulated time period
Employers are required to make their first submission within six months of registering with SARS
Employers are required to ensure that they have been paying levies to the appropriate SETA
Employers are required to submit all necessary documents before the due dates.

Mandatory grant money that is not claimed moves to discretionary grant funding by 15 August each year^[3].

The FoodBev SETA approves a discretionary grant policy every year, as per the SETA grant regulations. This policy directs the allocation of funds, taking into account the various plans and programs that the funds could be used for. Such plans and programs include:

Professional, vocational, technical and academic learning (PIVOTAL) programs
Scarce skills as outlined in the SSP
Bursaries for employees as well as unemployed learners
National Skills Development Strategies (NSDS) III initiatives
The annual performance plan
Trade Unions and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)
National Skills Priorities

To take advantage of discretionary grants, employers must also meet the following criteria;

Employers must have already submitted their WSP and ATR at the time of approval.
Private training providers are required to be accredited (where training providers are involved in the process)
Employers are required to be within the jurisdiction of the FoodBev SETA, i.e., employers must work in the food and beverage manufacturing sector.
Employers are required to be up to date with levy payments except those who have been formally exempted.
Unemployed learners should qualify for bursaries and specified programs.
Only businesses that have less than fifty employees can fill the PIVOTAL plan template as seen on the FoodBev SETA website.
Trade Unions and NGOs are required to be registered.

The following details apply in terms of the application process:

Applicants should complete the application forms while adhering to the discretionary grants policy. Different forms are to be used for private employers, public employers, training providers, as well as unemployed learners.
Documents detailing the company’s registration are required to be submitted.
Proof of registration under professional bodies is required to be submitted.
Evidence of payment of skills development levy or proof of exemption or proof of registration with SARS
Details of the assessor and moderator with regards to the particular qualification are also required to be submitted.

How to get a SETA Learnership

A learnership is one of the PIVOTAL programmes, and it refers to the structured learning process that helps learners gain educational knowledge and practical skills in the workplace. This is one of the opportunities which the SETAs, including FoodBev SETA offers students. These structured learning processes operate on an outcome-based system and acknowledge the need for prior learning. The duration of learnerships vary but generally last for 18 months. Learners must complete four different learnerships in order to attain an artisan equivalent qualification (NQF level 4).

Learners must meet the following conditions before commencing a SETA Learnership:

Existing employees or new entrants;
Meet the selection criteria as determined by the organisation taking on the learner;
Satisfy the entry requirements for the learnership program they wish to enroll in as determined by the qualification requirements.

To obtain learnerships, there are specific outlined step-by-step processes that employers should adhere to:

Employers should be workplace approved and are required to meet the pre-registration criteria.
Qualified assessors are available. They may be either in-house assessors or contracted assessors.
Training providers are accredited by the QCTO to offer the qualification behind the learnership (or, for a legacy qualification still in its teach-out period, by the SETA that accredited them).
Companies advertise learnership opportunities through the media.
A tripartite learnership agreement is signed among the employer, provider and learner.
Learners apply and are selected by the company recruitment process.
A Short-term employment contract is signed between the employer and the learner, assuming the learner is unemployed.
The learning programme and process are discussed and agreed to with the training provider.
Employers fund the learnership through grants obtained from SETA.
Employers and training providers deliver relevant learning and experience, working closely together to manage the training process.
Learners are provided with support through mentoring and feedback.
Learners are assessed by qualified assessors(formative and summative assessments)
For a legacy qualification, the FoodBev SETA quality assuror is called to moderate the assessment. For a QCTO occupational qualification, the learner finishes with the External Integrated Summative Assessment (EISA), and the QCTO issues the certificate. Internal moderation is required to be carried out by the provider.
A national qualification is awarded to the learner after successful completion of the learnership.
Learners receive a statement of results for unit standards achieved if learnership is not successfully completed.
On completion of learnership is completed, the employer may sign the learner on for a new learnership or employ the learner. The employer can also choose to release the learner for future employment by another organization, if the learner was originally unemployed.

FoodBev SETA Qualifications

The National Qualifications Framework (NQF), the Skills Development Act, and the Quality Council for Trade and Occupations (QCTO) work in concert with one another to provide high standard qualifications. The NQF strategies are in charge of full time and part-time qualifications, while QCTO manages occupational and trade qualifications. The Council also de-registers qualifications if learners do not register for them after a long time. Under the June 2026 ministerial directive^[4], SETAs remain accountable for developing, replacing and implementing occupational qualifications and skills programmes, and they act as QCTO Quality Partners. The qualifications listed below are legacy (pre-2009) qualifications: many are closing or have been replaced by QCTO occupational qualifications, so check each one’s last date for enrolment on its SAQA record before you enrol^[5].

List of Qualifications

Further Education and Training Certificate: Food Manufacturing

Management

NQF Level: NQF Level 04

Qualification Type: Further Education

General Education and Training Certificate: Food and Beverage

Handling Processes

NQF Level: NQF Level 01