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The difference between 18.1 and 18.2 learners is employment status. An 18.1 learner is already your employee when the learnership starts. An 18.2 learner was unemployed and joins your company on a fixed-term contract for the length of the learnership. Both can sit on the same cohort, and both work towards a registered qualification, such as BOTI’s QCTO occupational certificates for learnerships.
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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.
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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
Hosting a learnership means your company takes on learners who combine structured training with real workplace experience, ending in a qualification registered on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). Done well, it builds a skills pipeline, adds to the training spend recognised on your B-BBEE scorecard, and draws on the Skills Development Levy you already pay. This guide shows South African employers how to set one up and which parts BOTI handles for you.
If you are an HR, L&D or operations manager trying to turn a training budget into qualified staff and solid scorecard evidence, a hosted learnership is a practical place to start.
What a learnership is, and the business problem it solves
A learnership is a structured learning programme that blends theory (knowledge modules) with practical workplace application, ending in a full or part qualification registered on the NQF. Learners work under a formal learnership agreement and an employment contract for the duration of the programme, which is often around 12 months.
For employers, it solves three problems:
- Skills shortages. You grow capable, qualified staff instead of competing for scarce hires.
- B-BBEE scorecard pressure. Spend on learner training counts under the Skills Development element of the scorecard.
- Unused levy spend. You already pay the Skills Development Levy (SDL) at 1% of payroll[1]. A learnership is a structured way to put that levy to work through the SETA grant system.
In short, it turns a compliance cost into a workforce-development asset.
Who this is for
This guide is for South African corporate training buyers: HR and L&D managers, business owners, and departmental or operations managers who are responsible for developing staff and teams. It is not aimed at individual job-seekers. It suits organisations that:
- Pay the Skills Development Levy and want a better return from their SETA.
- Are working towards or maintaining a B-BBEE level and need well-documented Skills Development evidence.
- Want a repeatable pipeline of qualified, work-ready employees in functions such as administration, sales, supervisory management or new business development.
What hosting a learnership covers: the employer process
BOTI manages the process with your HR or L&D team. A typical outline looks like this:
| Phase | What happens | Who leads |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Needs analysis | Identify roles, headcount and the right registered qualification | BOTI + your HR/L&D |
| 2. Qualification selection | Match the roles to a QCTO occupational qualification, or to a legacy SETA qualification still open for enrolment | BOTI |
| 3. Agreements & registration | Learnership agreements, employment contracts and registration with your SETA | BOTI + employer |
| 4. Recruitment | Source learners: recruit new 18.2 learners or upskill existing 18.1 staff | Joint |
| 5. Delivery | Knowledge and practical modules plus structured workplace experience | BOTI delivers theory; employer hosts the workplace component |
| 6. Mentoring & logbooks | A workplace mentor guides learners and signs off workplace tasks | Employer mentor + BOTI |
| 7. Assessment | Formative and internal summative assessment by BOTI. For occupational certificates, the final External Integrated Summative Assessment (EISA) at a QCTO-accredited assessment centre | BOTI assessors and moderators; QCTO system for the EISA |
| 8. Certification & records | The QCTO issues the Occupational Certificate; training records are compiled for your ATR and B-BBEE file | QCTO + BOTI |
18.1 vs 18.2 learners: why it matters
The labels come from section 18 of the Skills Development Act, which deals with learnership contracts for people who are already employed (18.1) and for people who were unemployed (18.2).
- 18.1 learners are people already employed by you. Their normal employment terms continue, and the learnership formalises and extends skills they already use at work.
- 18.2 learners are previously unemployed people recruited for the learnership. They sign a fixed-term contract that runs for the length of the programme and receive a learner allowance set out in that contract. Hosting them creates entry-level jobs and gives you a pool of trained people you can choose to employ permanently at the end.
Many employers run a mixed cohort, with existing staff and new learners trained side by side. BOTI can help you weigh up the right mix for your roles, budget and scorecard goals. For more on how learner training is recognised, read our guide to B-BBEE learnerships and your scorecard.
Which BOTI qualifications can sit inside a learnership
A learnership is only as useful as the qualification at the end of it. BOTI offers QCTO occupational certificates that suit common learnership roles. Each has a last date for enrolment:
- Sales Representative 121792: enrol by 30 January 2030[2].
- Entrepreneur 124485 (part-qualification, NQF 3, 63 credits[3]): enrol by 3 June 2031[3].
- Office Administrator 102161, Management Assistant 101876 and Project Manager 101869: enrol by 30 December 2026[4][5][6].
- Office Supervisor 118740: enrol by 31 December 2026[7].
Learners must be enrolled by these dates, so plan cohorts for the qualifications closing in December 2026 now. Some legacy Services SETA qualifications are still open for new enrolment until 30 June 2028 (to be completed by 30 June 2031)[8]. Dates differ per qualification, so BOTI confirms the current SAQA record for your chosen qualification before you sign learners up.
Delivery formats
Learnerships are flexible by design. BOTI delivers the theory component:
- In-house at your premises, which keeps teams close to their workplace.
- At BOTI’s venue in Sunningdale, Johannesburg.
- Live online, so learners in different provinces can stay on the same cohort.
An “online learnership” still needs a workplace. The theory can run live online, but the practical and work-experience components take place at the host employer, signed off by a workplace mentor.
How accreditation works for a hosted learnership
Hosting a learnership is a service BOTI manages for you. It is not, in itself, a single accredited course. What matters is the qualification at the end of it. BOTI is a QCTO-accredited Skills Development Provider and holds Services SETA accreditation 12582 for legacy qualifications. Each hosted learnership is matched to a registered NQF qualification. For QCTO occupational certificates, BOTI runs the learning and internal assessment, learners then write the EISA, and the QCTO issues the certificate. For legacy SETA qualifications, assessment and moderation follow the SETA’s rules within that qualification’s enrolment window. For a plain-language overview of the two systems, see SETA vs QCTO explained.
Funding: how a learnership is paid for
Several funding routes can apply to a hosted learnership:
1. Mandatory grant. You pay SDL at 1% of payroll[1]. When you submit your Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) and Annual Training Report (ATR) to your SETA by 30 April and your levies are up to date, you can claim back 20% of the levies paid as a mandatory grant. Unclaimed mandatory grant money moves to discretionary funding by 15 August[9].
2. Discretionary grants. SETAs fund some learnership projects from their discretionary grants, which receive 49.5% of the levy[9]. Windows and criteria differ by SETA and year. Our guide on how to claim SETA funding explains the process.
3. B-BBEE Skills Development spend. Under the generic B-BBEE Codes, the Skills Development target is measured as 6% of the leviable amount[10] (not simply 6% of payroll). Learnership costs count towards that spend. Sector codes can differ, so check the code that applies to you.
4. SARS learnership tax allowance. Registered learnership agreements can qualify for the learnership tax allowance under the Income Tax Act. Treat this as general guidance and confirm the specifics with your tax adviser. See our article on the learnership tax incentive.
Practical effect: levy grants, scorecard recognition and tax allowances can all reduce the net cost of a hosted learnership. How much depends on your SETA, your sector code and whether your submissions are on time.
The above is general information, not financial or legal advice. Final eligibility depends on your SETA, classification and current regulations.
To plan your cohort and funding, talk to a BOTI advisor about your learnership.
Why host your learnership with BOTI
- 450 courses and long experience with learnerships across qualification streams.
- Clients include major South African organisations such as Sasol, Glencore and the City of Johannesburg.
- Managed process: agreements, registration, delivery, assessment and moderation, plus the training records you need for your ATR and B-BBEE file.
- Flexible delivery: in-house, at the Sunningdale venue or live online.
- One accountable partner, so your HR team is not buried in admin.
Build the rest of your skills strategy
A learnership works well inside a wider plan. Explore related BOTI pages:
- SETA learnerships for employers: an overview of hosting, funding and managing learnerships.
- Skills development and B-BBEE: get your scorecard strategy right.
- Coaching and Mentoring Course: train the workplace mentors who will guide learners and sign off logbooks.
- Occupational Certificate: Office Administrator: a popular stream for first cohorts (enrol by 30 December 2026[4]).
- request a quote: start your learnership conversation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between 18.1 and 18.2 learners?
18.1 learners are already employed by the company when the learnership starts, and their normal employment terms continue. 18.2 learners were unemployed and are taken on with a fixed-term contract that lasts for the learnership, with a learner allowance set out in that contract. Both work towards the same registered qualification and can be trained in one cohort.
Can a learnership be done online?
Partly. BOTI can deliver the theory component live online, in-house at your premises or at its venue in Sunningdale, Johannesburg. The workplace component cannot be done online, because learners must apply their skills at the host employer under a workplace mentor.
How much are the fees for hosting a learnership?
The cost depends on the qualification, the number of learners, the delivery format and whether you host 18.1 or 18.2 learners. BOTI quotes per cohort after a short needs analysis. Mandatory and discretionary SETA grants and the learnership tax allowance may reduce the net cost, depending on your eligibility.
Do I have to pay learners a stipend?
18.2 learners receive a learner allowance for the length of the programme, as set out in their fixed-term contract. 18.1 learners keep their normal salary and employment terms. Check the current rules on learner allowances with your SETA or labour adviser before you sign contracts.
How long does a learnership take to complete?
Many learnerships run for around 12 months, depending on the qualification and its credits. Setup, which covers choosing the qualification, signing agreements and registering learners, usually takes a few weeks once you have chosen your roles and cohort size.
Ready to host your first learnership?
BOTI can handle the admin, delivery and assessment while you build a stronger team. A good first cohort is the National Occupational Certificate: Sales Representative, open for enrolment until 30 January 2030[2]. Ask BOTI to help you work out which grants and allowances apply before you start, or request a quote. Call BOTI on 011 882 8853 or email [email protected]. Training runs in-house at your premises, at BOTI’s venue in Sunningdale, Johannesburg, or live online.
Ready to host a learnership at your company? Explore BOTI’s accredited QCTO and SETA programmes or request a tailored training proposal — rated 4.8 from 770+ Google reviews.
Sources
- Skills Development Levy – South African Revenue Service (SARS), 2026.
- SAQA qualification record: Sales Representative (SAQA ID 121792) – SAQA, 2026.
- SAQA qualification record: Entrepreneur (SAQA ID 124485) – SAQA, 2026.
- SAQA qualification record: Office Administrator (SAQA ID 102161) – SAQA, 2026.
- SAQA qualification record: Management Assistant (SAQA ID 101876) – SAQA, 2026.
- SAQA qualification record: Project Manager (SAQA ID 101869) – SAQA, 2026.
- SAQA qualification record: Office Supervisor (SAQA ID 118740) – SAQA, 2026.
- Pre-2009 Extended Qualifications – South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), June 2026.
- Mandatory Grants – Health and Welfare SETA (HWSETA), 2026.
- Codes of Good Practice on B-BBEE: Code Series 300, Statement 300 – Skills Development (Government Gazette 42496) – Department of Trade and Industry, 31 May 2019.
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.
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