PSG Wealth has run fake learnerships. Keep Climbing’s first investigation into a fake learnership was in 2017 when a case of indentured labour at PSG Wealth was brought to us.
Youth Conned by PSG Wealth Learnerships
PSG held a youth hostage for ransom upon resignation. INSETA had to be publicly pressured to act, and even when doing so, their concern for other youth at PSG Wealth was purely administrative.
INSETA and the QCTO implement learnership quality assurance, meaning they are responsible for ensuring learners have a safe, legal experience. However, they rarely (if ever) actually check employer learnership contracts for legal compliance, allowing employers such as PSG to think they can get away with treating youth as their captives.
PSG Learnership definition
PSG defines a ‘learnership’ as their own training, not an NQF registered qualification as the legislation stipulates
The acceptable industry definition for learnerships
P Slavery G Learnership
PSG Wealth had to be taught that indentured labour is slavery and unacceptable.
When people are ‘bonded’ to employers for a period of time, their free will is removed as a right for the duration of the contract. In the case of a learnership at PSG, the bondage period lasted 12 months.
Payments, if made to a bonded person, often come with heavy conditions and requirements of servitude. In most cases, indentured labourers have to pay their way out before they can leave.
PSG Learnership Stipend
PSG Wealth terminology for payments is purposefully vague and misleading. They make it difficult for inexperienced youth to even understand the terms and conditions.
Learners bonded to PSG were confused, afraid and trapped in a hostile work relationship.
PSG Wealth paid a ‘monthly advance’. The language used disadvantaged learners and distorted the meaning of a learner earning a stipend.
PSG Wealth Mislead Learners
PSG Wealth used learners to take advantage of youth and purposefully mislead them.
It’s worth noting that PSG pursued unemployed youth for these contractual arrangements, a vulnerable market segment often lacking financial reserves.
The PSG ‘learnership’ learners were sales agents required to meet stringent targets. Those who struggled and resigned were issued with debt acknowledgements stating they owe PSG money.
This means learners must purchase the right to leave.
Closing
Youth have few fair labour market options available to them and are vulnerable to predatory labour market conduct.
A learnership is an industry-based occupational qualification experience. Learnerships are implemented by training organisations accredited for specific qualifications.
Learnership and apprenticeship candidates are advised to submit contracts for our review.
