Exciting Learnerships for ECD, Youth and Development

Learnerships for ECD, Youth Development, Environment Studies and Development Practice fall under ETDP SETA. These Learnerships can increase your career opportunities as they often target jobs that are difficult to fill.

Education, Training, and Development Practice (ETDP): Learnerships for ECD

The ETDP SETA is an important contact point for unemployed youth looking for learnerships, particularly for ECD. While the ECD sector is receiving a lot of government attention, ECD Learnerships are often difficult to find where they are most needed.

ETDP Sector Scarce And Critical Skills: Look for Learnerships

There are many job opportunities waiting for career climbers like you! So read our post on hard-to-fill education vacancies at this link.

• List Of Hard-to-fill Education Vacancies in 2023

Learnerships Are Priority Qualifications: Scarce and Critical Skills

A learnership qualification can increase your career opportunities. They often target jobs that are difficult to fill (scarce skills). Therefore Learnerships are an example of an integrated skills development intervention. As a result, they aim to promote growth in employment and capacity building to address scarce and critical skills shortages in South Africa.

Read: Job Opportunities, Scarce Skills & What to Study.

New Learnership Qualifications

When new Occupational Certificates are introduced, Learnership qualifications change. As a result, please refer to the latest list of registered learnerships published in 2023. There are 149 qualifications to consider so we’re sure you’ll find something that interests you!

New job training qualifications are available, refer to the list of links below to see these exciting developments:

• NQF levels 1-2 occupational certificates
• Exciting NQF level 3 occupational certificates
• List of NQF Level 4 occupational certificates
• NQF Level 5 occupational certificates
• Professional NQF Level 6 occupational certificates.

Let’s Dive Into ETDP SETA Learnerships for ECD

ETDP SETA Learnerships for ECD, Youth Development, Environment Studies and Development Practice.

1. Learnerships for ECD: Early Childhood Development

Early Childhood Development (ECD) is the Focus of Government Attention.

1.1 Municipalities And The Department of Basic Education: Learnerships for ECD

Municipalities and the Department of Basic Education are important ECD Learnership Contact Points.

The Early Childhood Development (ECD) sector plays a vital role in shaping the educational journey of young children. Consequently, there is massive focus on the importance of early education. As a result, the ECD function has shifted to the Department of Education. Hopefully, this will improve the professionalism of the sector thus ensuring that every child receives quality early education.

However, many ECD centres, often run as non-profit organizations (NPOs), face various challenges in complying with regulations, meeting required standards, and accessing funding. Additionally, the shortage of qualified teachers hinders the optimal learning and development of children. Therefore innovative programmes are implemented to create job opportunities for youth and improve the quality of early education.

For purposes of the ETDP SETA Sector Skills Plan (SSP), ECD covers 0 – 4 years. Let’s dive in a little deeper now!

1.2 Government’s Strategic Interest In Learnerships for ECD

Firstly, it’s important to understand how the ECD sector is structured and provides ECD services. When you know how the sector is structured, it leads to a better understanding of how to obtain an ECD learnership.

1. The Department of Basic Education (DBE): The curriculum for Grade R learners or 5-year-olds is part of the schooling constituency.
2. The Department of Social Development (DSD) is responsible for providing services for children under school-going age.
3. ETDP SETA: The ECD human resource development component is led by education. Almost all ECD practitioner training falls under the ETDP SETA
4. Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA): includes ECD practitioners in the social development workforce and has identified them as a scarce skill. The HWSETA has also supported ECD learnerships in all provinces.

Click the link below to see the ECD Learnership qualifications that are available.

Read more about the specific ECD qualifications at this link: How to Find ECD Training in South Africa

1.3 The ETDP SETA ECD Strategy

The ETDP SETA has put the following into place to support ECD development:

1. A research chair for ECD now exists.
2. The ECD Chamber advises the Accounting Authority on issues of policy development and implementation in the ECD sub-sector.

1.4 ECD Training and Development Plans: Learnerships for ECD

The ‘Human Resources Development Strategy for Early Childhood Development,’ stresses the training and growth of Early Childhood Development (ECD) personnel. When we consider the outlined objectives of the NIECD Policy alongside the current state of the sector, it becomes evident that there is a pressing need for a substantial increase in both the quantity and quality of ECD professionals across all service delivery platforms. Therefore these professionals must possess the necessary skills and competencies to provide a comprehensive range of services, extending beyond early learning programs. Also, this need underscores the critical importance of action strategies aimed at the training and development of ECD personnel within the broader framework of the ECD Human Resources Development (HRD) Strategy.

Profiles of ECD Practitioners: Learnerships for ECD

The document also provides insights into the composition of the ECD workforce. According to the data presented in the 2013 ECD Audit:

• 27,360 individuals identified as ECD professionals,
• 3,024 as assistant practitioners,
• and 11,380 in roles such as principals or supervisors.

Another notable characteristic of the ECD sector is its strong female representation. Women are approximately 99% of all ECD professionals in South Africa.

Furthermore, the racial diversity of ECD professionals mirrors the broader demographics of South Africa. Approximately 80% are of Black ethnicity, 12% Coloured, and the remaining 8% encompass White, Indian, and Asian professionals.

Interestingly, there appears to be some level of integration among racial groups in teaching positions. With 31% of White and 63% of Indian professionals teaching in ECD centres where the majority of learners are Black. Nevertheless, Black and Coloured professionals are more likely to teach children of the same racial background.

Why Learnerships for ECD Are Vital: Practitioner qualifications and specialisations

An ECD practitioner is employed as an assistant practitioner, a practitioner, or as the principal or matron of an ECD centre.

Only about 12% of practitioners and assistant practitioners have any qualification above that of a Grade 12. But note that the Grade 12 requirements were only set in 2013. In addition, principals and supervisors are less likely to have a qualification below Grade 12. However, almost 80% still do not have any qualification above that of Grade 12.

The number of practitioners with qualifications specialising in ECD, shows that the minimum Norms and Standards do not apply in practice. One would expect to see the majority of practitioners with at least the NQF Basic Certificate. However, 87% of assistant practitioners and 74% of practitioners do not have any qualification in Early Childhood Development. Once again, Principals and Supervisors seem to have received slightly more training, with at least 34% of Principals and 40% of Supervisors having at least a Certificate in ECD.

2. Development Practice Learnerships

The Development Practice Learnership is a critical Learnership in the ETD field because practitioners can provide professional support directly to individuals and communities. In addition, they are able to empower people to achieve specific outcomes.

The qualification also enables you to provide short learning programmes to community groups and to assist in assessing the community groups’ learning or development.

The Learnership is directed at both adults and youth (employed and unemployed) with sufficient experience in general community development work and the development practice field. Especially those employed as auxiliary social workers, community development workers, youth workers and NGO and CBO field activists. The learnership is implemented across all provinces.

3. The Youth Development Practice Learnership

The Development Practice qualification is closely linked to the Youth Development Practice NQF Level 5. Youth Development targets young people to become youth work practitioners.

This learnership helps you to facilitate enabling processes for youth development work within public and private contexts.  It also empowers young people with skills to work with communities in implementing community-based projects. 

Youth development work is a proactive social mechanism for managing change in the economy and society.

4. The National Diploma in Environment Studies Learnership

The National Diploma in Environment Studies NQF Level 5 Learnership will prepare learners to function independently as entry-level environmental education practitioners.

It will apply in particular to unqualified environmental education practitioners working in environmental education centres (e.g. volunteers, interns and part-time guides). This programme also applies to people employed in fields other than education, but who may develop an environmental education role in the workplace, e.g. field rangers, outreach officers, interpretative officers.

The learners qualified at this level will make a meaningful contribution to environmental change. They do this through an educational response to environmental issues and risks in a range of contexts and workplaces. They may also be able to function as teachers` aides or environmental education specialists in formal education settings like schools.

Check out this paper I co-wrote on stakeholder engagement strategy for the climate sector.

ECD, Youth Development, Environment Studies and Development Practice Learnerships

Check with the ETDP SETA and SAQA to see if these ETDP SETA qualifications are still registered and take a look at the new qualifications for learnerships.

1. Further Education and Training Certificate (FETC) in ECD NQF Level 4;
2. National Diploma in ECD Practice NQF Level 5;
3. Development Practice NQF Level 5;
4. Youth Development Practice NQF Level 5 and
5. National Diploma in Environment Studies NQF Level 5.

Read More on Keep Climbing!

• How To Apply For An ECD Programme Certificate

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• ETDP SETA Contacts

• ETDP SETA Qualifications

• Cover Letters for Community Development & Youth Workers

• How to find Learnerships in the Industry of Your Choice

• What “Industry Learnership” Means For Youth

• Critical Skills Information: Youth Job Seeker Weapon

• Critical Skills: Study and Work Opportunities

• NQF Level 5 Occupational Certificates

• The Job Search Process for Youth