Tips for gaining entrance into a “Learnership” or “Graduate” employment program

• Make sure you have a professional CV and candidate motivation;
• Know how to write an appropriate Advert Response Note;
• Know which Job Portals, News Papers and/or Companies advertise Learnership or Graduate programs;
• Research relevant SETA's and find out what it takes to qualify for SETA accredited programs;
• Make sure you do not leave "varsity" or college without work experience. Even if it is vacation work, short internship programs - get that experience when-and wherever you can;
• Start looking for graduate work towards the middle of your final year of studies - don't leave it until the last minute (avoid the rush);
• Research the kind/s of positions you qualify for, and make sure you know where you want to take your career. This will also help when you're writing the candidate motivation;
• Having "career-direction" is vital as you will need to know what positions your degree, diploma or certificate qualifies you for;
• Having "career-direction" will also help you establish the type of industry you wish to work in and makes "interviewing questions" about your future goals much easier to answer;
• Make sure you know what salaries are appropriate entry level salaries in your chosen vocation;
• Research the companies you're interested in joining. Make sure you know whether they have graduate programs and what the application process is;
• Cut your hair, shave, invest in at least one set of decent interviewing clothes. A suit is always recommended. Girls, you might not need to cut your hair or shave but you will need to get out of that hippy-student attire and into some professional threads. Your hair does not have to be four different colours and when applying your make-up, think daytime, not nightclub!

Remember if you are going to dress and act like a student, you're going to be treated like one. If you want the JOB then say goodbye to all things “student”.