Where to Start with a YES Learnership Application
In a job market that is imposing more pressure on youth, learnerships generally serve as an excellent way to gain work experience while you complete your studies. The UK has one of the most recognised government initiatives in South Africa to provide learnerships is the YES (Youth Employment Service) Learnership. This initiative was government-subsidised to bridge the gap from study to employment. YES helps unemployed youth attain workplace experience, development of employability skills and mentorship support to become better employable candidates and adding value to our communities.
Applying for a YES Learnership could be potentially life-changing, but to go from a yes as a candidate, to a good YES, there is preparation that needs to happen to make sure the application is robust, complete and professional. The following are steps to take to prepare a YES Learnership application and better your chances of success.
Understand the YES learnership programme
Before applying for a YES learnership, you must recognize what the YES learnership programme is:
Target Group: YES learnerships are seeking youth who are unemployed and/or severely under employed, ages 18-35. They are seeking to actively encourage youth from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Learnership Structure: Yes learnerships are generally structured learning in combination with workplace experience phases. When possible, youth are placed among companies.
Skills Development: The focus of the YES Learnerships is on workplace readiness, which includes soft skills (communication, teamwork, professionalism) as well as technical skills to be used in each chosen field.
Certification: Candidates may obtain a recognized qualification or a statement of results, therefore enhancing their employability within the labour market.
By taking your different experiences into consideration, it will help you to make adjustments to your application that shows the alignment of you as a candidate, with the program for YES Learnership.
Step 1: Consider the Eligibility Requirement
The first step in the application preparation process for a YES Learner’s program is to establish that you are eligible according to the eligibility requirements. Some general requirements include, but may not be limited to:
Age: Candidates normally fall within the age bracket of 18 to 35 years.
Educational requirements: While some learnerships accept applications without a matric certificate and require alternative qualifications within a matric certificate (for example, a vocational qualification); please pay close attention to the requirements for each learnership prior to applying.
Citizenship status: All applicants must be South African citizens or permanent residents.
Employment status: The YES Learnership Programme is targeted at unemployed or under-employed youth; the employed status with an employer and a full-time job will determine suitability for each candidate.
Ensuring eligibility ahead of time saves the candidate from wasted time submitting incomplete/ ineligible applications.
Confirming applicant eligibility will speed the process (timing) up and reduce (if not completely eliminate the) chances of receiving non–complete or ineligible applications.
Step 2. Collect Documents.
An effective application for the YES Learnership will need to be organized and complete, and must accompany documentation. You will likely require the following:
Updated CV: Your CV should provide information on your educational background, formal work experience (where applicable), volunteer experience (where applicable), and skills connected to the learnership. Again, make it simple, yet formal.
Certified copies of your qualifications (and report, if available): It is standard practice, should you have any academic qualifications, to include your matric with your other qualifications.
Your ID document: This may be a certified copy of your ID or passport.
Proof of residence: Some programs have the requirement for proof of residence/the local municipality.
Motivation letter or personal statement: You want to ensure that you indicate your interest in the YES Learnership and that it will assist your career interests.
By preparing this piece early, you will be less likely to forget to include any documents in your application.
Step 3: Write Your CV
Your CV will likely be the first time the selection committee can review you, so you want to be sure it looks professional, is easy to read, and is appropriately modified for the learnership.
Thinking of a few things will help you as you write your CV for the YES Learnership:
1. Education is Important: Many students do not have significant work experience, so it would be worthwhile to include education first on the CV with any education accomplishments.
Stay Diverse on your CV: YES programs are impacted by volunteering, community involvement, and leadership. If you have volunteered or done community service, you ought to be include it in your rationale or science, exceptional, your CV.
Incorporate Action Verbs: When discussing your accomplishments, action verbs are strong terms to use such as “Organized,” “Assisted,” “Coordinated,” or “Engaged” just to name a few.
Match Skills to the Programme: Your skills should correlate to the learnership programme description. As an example, if you are an administration learnership, you will want to list skills including, but not limited to: computer literacy, good organizational skills, detail-orientedness.
KISS: it is best to keep your CV to 1-2 pages maximum; this HR recruiter notices it and appreciates it.
Step 4: Write an Excellent Motivation Letter
Your motivation letter or personal statement is your chance to really showcase yourself and tell the possible employer why you will be a good candidate for the YES Learnership.
Key components of a successful motivation letter include:
Opening: In a few sentences, introduce yourself to the employer and express your interest in the YES Learners Programme.
Career Aspirations: Ensure you describe what your short-term and long-term aspirations are and then explain how learnership will assist you in working toward these aspirations.
Skills and Experiences: Identify skills, experiences, and/or volunteer work that demonstrate your commitment to the world of work.
What you will give back to the Programme: Explain what you will give back to the organisation and the community while on their learnership.
Ending: Finish by expressing excitement about the opportunity for the learnership and that you will be committed to learning and being a professional.
Step 5: Apply Through Official Channels
YES Learnderships are usually applied for via official platforms:
YES Portal: Visit the official Youth Employment Service website (www.yes4youth.co.za) to find out if there are any learnerships available for you to apply for.
Company Websites: Some companies work with YES and post learnership positions directly on their career portals.
Community Organizations: Local NGOs and youth development organisations will also sometimes assist with YES applications and provide guidance.
Final check, confirm that your checking only the official guides and authentic portals for your applications and not made up website.
Step 6: Interview preparation
If you apply and you are successful you can expect to receive an invitation to interview. This is your chance to demonstrate interest in learnership of learnerships in general, your work ethic and if you are able to participate in a learnership.
Pp to prepare for the interview.
1. Do your research on the program: get an understanding of the purpose of the YES Learnerships, and if you are placed in the company or organization, do research on them.
2. Think ahead for general questions to rehearse for interview – you may be asked something like “Why do you want to be in this program?” or “What are your responses to challenges?”
3. Exhibit you are excited for: Show interest for learning and growing as a person in these programs.
4. Dress professionally: This contributes a lot to a first impression. These venues are meant to create a first impression of you purposefully, so dress professionally.
Step 7: Follow Up and Stay Engaged
When you have gone through the whole process of applying for your YES Learnership, and even if you have had interviews too – the best thing to do is to be proactive:
Follow Up: So if you haven’t heard back from the YES Learnership within the time you expected, a polite follow-up email, is always professional.
Stay Engaged: During this waiting period make sure you continue to engage in learning – whether through voluntary opportunities or relevant online courses, or some other engagement that will provide opportunities for you to advance your profile.
Network: Become connected with those who have gone through the YES Learnership before, to find out what they learned and get tips that can help you for the rest of your study.
Benefits and Challenges when you do a YES Learnership:
Benefits of doing a YES Learnership
A YES Learnership will provide you plenty of benefits, beyond the obvious benefit of getting work, all of the benefits are valuable.
Relevant Work Experience: You will gain work experience in a real workplace environment, and gain actual experience in putting your theoretical knowledge into practice, which will no doubt be considered very much as an advantage by employers when looking for full-time employment.
Gain Relevant Skills: YES Learnerships teach both hard and soft skills. To keep it simple – you will gain hard skills around work in administration, customer service, IT and finance, and you will also gain soft skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving and time management.
A Certification or Qualification: Most organisations will offer some kind of qualification/certification after you complete the YES Learnership, to help with future career and employability efforts.
Increased Employability: Learners who complete learnerships are more likely to find permanent employment as they are gaining valuable practical experience that leads to formal recognition of their skills.
Challenges of a YES Learnership:
Managing Work and Learning: Part of the learnership experience may involve being expected to complete on-the-job tasks and additional training or studying. Learning how to manage time will test the learning participants to retain focus, especially during the early transitional weeks when they are learning structured work provided opportunity.
Limited Stipend or Remuneration: Some YES learnerships are either voluntary, or do not include a reasonable stipend or remuneration. While they allow developing experience, they have the potential to create financial challenges for participants, particularly those who may be financially supporting a household.
Competition for Placement: YES Learnerships are highly competitive – not all applicants will be accepted, which may discourage dedicated applicants.
Temporary Nature of Learnerships: Most Learnerships are time-limited – for approximately six months to one year. Completion of the program does not guarantee permanent employment; therefore, participants must look for further employment.
Opportunities to Weigh the Benefits and the Challenges:
In general the benefits of YES Learnerships far outweigh the challenges (difficult experiences come in the way of level of preparedness, resilience and willingness to learn, which is usually demonstrated through engaging in learnerships to the fullest extent possible). Once candidates are one step ahead thinking through and around their potential challenges, they need to be able to pivot and develop some coping skills or strategies as an example: time management, communicating well, and getting support from mentor(s).
Ways to Enhance Your Prospects
Securing a YES Learnership is not easy, however, to help increase your chances of success, consider the following:
Apply Early: When students are prepared to apply as independent applicants, the application process opens so prepare for the deadlines.
Be Genuine: Try to refrain from embellishing your credentials or background, stay true to yourself!
Exhibit Your Softskills: Employers are interested in soft skills like, collaboration, communication, adaptability and so forth.
Talk About Your Community Involvement: The YES programs are looking for candidates who want to actually engage in the community!
Do Not Submit a Generic Application: Make sure that your CV does not simply look like your motivation letter. Make your CV reflect your drive, experience, or personality that embodies the vision of the learnership.
Recap
The YES Learnership programme is a fantastic chance for youth in South Africa to gain experience and real skills whilst improving employability prospects. In asking for an application at a YES Learnership venue, there is detailed planning, thought and focus on detailing a clear motivation and demonstrating your competencies. By knowing the requirements and gathering proper documentation, artworks to cover letters/resume papers, as well as willing to prepare to interview, prior to a review and selection process, you can increase VIOLU% you will be selected.
Always remember that YES Learnerships are not just about getting a job. It’s about learning any significant contribution to society! So go forward with a dedicated sense of professionalism and enthusiasm, and hopefully that leap of faith will unfold a life changing opportunity you have always anticipated!