Not having matric closes fewer doors than people think. Plenty of registered learnerships in South Africa are built for exactly this situation, because the qualification you are working towards sits below the level matric is pitched at. This page explains which ones, why they exist, and how to find them without being taken advantage of.
Checked on 11 August 2026.
Why learnerships without matric exist at all
South African qualifications sit on the National Qualifications Framework, a ladder of levels. Matric, the National Senior Certificate, is NQF Level 4.
That single fact is the whole answer. There are qualifications registered below Level 4, and a learnership leading to one of them cannot sensibly demand a Level 4 certificate to get in. Requiring matric for an NQF Level 2 qualification would be like requiring a driving licence to sit a learner’s test.
| NQF level | Roughly equivalent to | Usual entry requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Grade 9 (ABET Level 4) | Basic literacy and numeracy |
| Level 2 | Grade 10 | Grade 9 or equivalent |
| Level 3 | Grade 11 | Grade 10 or an NQF Level 2 qualification |
| Level 4 | Matric | Grade 11 or an NQF Level 3 qualification |
| Level 5 and above | Higher certificate, diploma, degree | Matric, usually with specific subjects |
So the practical rule is: if you finished Grade 9, NQF Level 2 learnerships are open to you. If you finished Grade 10 or 11, Level 3 opens up as well.
The proof that these programmes are real
You do not have to take our word for it. The government’s own learner allowance schedule, gazetted under the National Minimum Wage Act, has a row for “Level 1 to 2”. The state would not set a minimum wage for a category of learner that does not exist.
That row sets the minimum at R455,00 per week at 0 to 120 credits, rising to R909,94 per week once you have banked 121 to 240 credits. The full table, and how it works, is on our learnership pay page.
Fields where sub-matric learnerships are common
These are the sectors where NQF Level 1 to 3 qualifications are widely registered and regularly funded. Which SETA to watch is in brackets, and each links to our full SETA list.
- Wholesale and retail operations (W&RSETA). Shelf packing, cashier work, stock control, customer service. The most common entry point of all, and the sector employs enormous numbers of people.
- Cleaning and hygiene services (Services SETA). Often Level 1 or 2, and frequently the fastest route into steady employment.
- Hospitality: food preparation, housekeeping, food and beverage service (CATHSSETA).
- Private security (SASSETA). Note that security work also requires separate PSIRA registration, which is its own process.
- Contact centre support (Services SETA). Usually Level 2 or 3. Good spoken English matters more than a certificate here.
- Agriculture: plant and animal production (AgriSETA). Level 1 to 3 qualifications are common.
- Construction: bricklaying, plastering, painting, general building (CETA).
- Freight handling and warehousing (TETA).
- Food and beverage manufacturing operations (FoodBev SETA).
- Community health and home based care (HWSETA).
- Hairdressing and beauty (Services SETA).
- Early childhood development (ETDP SETA). Level 4 in many cases, but Level 1 to 3 support qualifications exist.
What is realistically not available without matric: engineering learnerships at Level 5 and above, most artisan apprenticeships (which normally want matric with mathematics and physical science, or an N2 to N3 from a TVET college), accounting and finance programmes, and IT development programmes. Those are not closed to you forever, they are just further up the ladder.
The ladder, which is the actual point
This is the part worth understanding properly, because it changes what a Level 2 learnership is for.
Completing an NQF Level 2 qualification gives you a registered qualification at Level 2. That does two things at once. It gets you employable now, and it becomes the entry requirement for a Level 3 learnership, which in turn becomes the entry requirement for Level 4.
So the realistic path looks like this:
- Level 2 learnership, roughly 12 months, while earning an allowance.
- Level 3 learnership, another 12 months, at a higher allowance because you now hold credits.
- Level 4, which is the matric equivalent level, reached through work rather than through a classroom.
Three years, paid throughout, ending at a level equivalent to matric plus three years of real workplace experience and a reference. That is a genuinely competitive position, and arguably a stronger one than a matric certificate with no work history.
The other routes worth knowing about
These sit alongside learnerships rather than replacing them:
- Finish matric through a second chance route. The Department of Basic Education runs a Second Chance Matric Support Programme for people who did not pass or did not complete. You can also write as a part time candidate through your provincial education department. This can run alongside a learnership.
- The Amended Senior Certificate, for people over 21 who did not complete matric.
- A TVET college NCV programme, which you can enter from Grade 9 and which runs NQF Level 2, 3 and 4. TVET fees are far lower than universities and NSFAS funding is available.
- Recognition of Prior Learning. If you have been doing skilled work for years without paperwork, RPL can convert that experience into a formal qualification. Ask an accredited provider in your sector whether they offer it. It is under-used and it is exactly designed for this.
What to put on your CV when you have no matric and no work history
Do not leave it blank, and do not apologise for it. Lead with what you do have:
- State your highest grade completed clearly and honestly. “Grade 11 completed, 2023” is a fact, not a confession. Never claim a matric you do not have: it will be verified, and being caught ends the application and the reference.
- Any work at all counts. Piece jobs, helping in a family business, informal trading, seasonal work. Give dates and say what you were responsible for.
- Volunteer and community work counts, especially church, sports club or community organisation roles where you handled money, people or logistics.
- Short courses and certificates count, including free online ones.
- Say why this field. For a learnership, motivation carries real weight, because they are selecting for who will finish the programme, not for who is already skilled.
Our South African CV guide covers the layout.
The warning that matters most here
People without matric are targeted by learnership scams more than anyone else, because the offer of a way in is so valuable. The rules do not change:
- You never pay. No registration fee, no admin fee, no uniform deposit, no “securing your place”. Learnerships are funded by employer levies through the SETAs.
- “No matric needed, start Monday, R7 000 a month” is not a learnership. Compare it against the gazetted allowance table before you believe it.
- Ask for the SETA name, the NQF level and the accredited provider. A real programme has all three. A scam has none of them.
- Never hand over your ID document, bank details or an OTP to secure a place.
Sources
- National Minimum Wage Act No. 9 of 2018, Schedule 2, as amended by Government Notice R.7083 in Gazette No. 54075 of 3 February 2026, which is where the Level 1 to 2 learner allowance appears.
- Skills Development Act No. 97 of 1998.
- The National Qualifications Framework level structure, as administered by SAQA.
Next steps
- How learnerships work, and how to apply
- What a learnership legally has to pay you
- All 21 SETAs and what each one funds
- Latest vacancies on MyJobNest
Checked on 11 August 2026. Entry requirements are set per programme and can change. Always confirm on the training provider’s or employer’s own page, and tell us on our contact page if anything here is out of date.
