As South Africa seeks to accelerate economic growth through localisation, manufacturing expansion and infrastructure development, the availability of skilled technical talent is becoming increasingly critical. The country’s mining and engineering sectors, which underpin much of this industrial activity, continue to face a shortage of practical technical skills. While efforts have been made to attract young people into these careers, equal attention must be given to how industry develops and nurtures workplace-ready talent, thereby strengthening the broader skills pipeline necessary to sustain long-term industrial growth.
Bridging the gap between education and employment
According to Janine James, Organisational Development and Learning Manager at Multotec, a key part of the challenge lies in the transition from education to employment.
While technical institutions provide an essential theoretical foundation, many young graduates enter the workforce with limited exposure to real-world industrial environments, where problem-solving, operational awareness and hands-on technical competence are essential. For school leavers, unemployed individuals, and people with disabilities seeking entry into the engineering sector, the challenge is even greater, as opportunities to gain formal technical qualifications and workplace experience are often limited.
James explains, “Learnerships play a vital role bridging the gap between academic learning and real-world application. They not only develop technical competence, confidence, and resilience, but also build essential workplace skills such as communication, problem-solving, teamwork, networking, safety awareness, and professional behaviour. This holistic approach, supports learners academically, professionally, and personally, significantly improving employability and creating job-ready graduates with a pathway to long-term career success.”
Investing in people for the future
Learnerships provide a platform to develop learners into capable professionals and should be used as a strategic tool for companies to fill internal vacancies, upskill employees and strengthen South Africa’s broader industrial skills pool.
“At Multotec, our learnerships are aligned with the sector skills plan set out by merSETA and are informed by identified critical skills shortages, as well as current and future job requirements. This ensures that learners remain employable and are equipped to adapt and succeed in modern, industrial environments,” James explains.
Multotec offers a comprehensive range of learnerships spanning production technology, production process controller, production supervision, stores and warehousing, business administration, information technology, new venture creation, generic management.. These programmes are designed not only to support internal operational requirements, but also to equip learners with transferable skills that can be applied across industries.
In addition, the company introduced a computer-aided drawing office practice learnership in 2026, aimed at addressing skills shortages within its drawing offices. The programme provides learners, many of whom are school leavers, with practical, on-the-job training and exposure across multiple drawing office functions, helping to build a sustainable talent pipeline.
“Over the past decade, Multotec has successfully implemented learnership programmes for both unemployed individuals and internal employees, supporting close to 600 learners,” James notes. “This includes 353 internal employees who have completed learnerships, as well as 221 external learners, of whom 139 are persons with disabilities.”
In a bid to promote inclusion, equity, and broader access to opportunities within the labour market, the company has placed a strong emphasis on supporting persons with disabilities.
A key measure of success for Multotec’s learnership programmes is the permanent employment of 103 external learners since 2016, including those with disabilities, along with more than 20 internal promotions linked to skills development initiatives.
“This demonstrates the effectiveness of learnerships in not only improving employability but also enabling career progression and long-term workforce sustainability,” James adds.
Beyond employment outcomes, learnerships also play an important role in enhancing employee confidence and supporting skills retention within the organisation. By aligning training with real job requirements, employees are better equipped to perform their roles effectively, while positioning themselves for future opportunities within the business.
The future competitiveness of South Africa’s mining and engineering sectors depends on the skills we develop today. By providing meaningful exposure to industrial environments and equipping individuals with practical, relevant capabilities, companies like Multotec are helping to drive innovation, enhance productivity and support sustainable industrial growth.
