Finding a first opportunity after Matric can be difficult when most vacancies ask for previous experience. That is one reason learnerships are worth looking at carefully. They give young people a chance to enter a real workplace while developing skills that can later be used when applying for permanent jobs.
The OUTsurance Hastings Direct Learnership 2026/2027 is one such opportunity. It is aimed at unemployed young South Africans who are interested in customer service, call centre work and the financial and insurance industry.
The current employer listing describes the programme as an 18-month work-based learnership based in Centurion, Gauteng. Successful learners will receive a R9,000 monthly stipend and enter into a fixed-term learnership agreement rather than a normal employment contract.
Before applying, however, there are several things applicants should understand.
This is more than a vacancy to add to your CV
A common mistake is to look at a learnership only as a way of getting paid while waiting for a permanent job.
That is not the best way to approach this opportunity.
The programme is designed to give unemployed youth workplace experience and allow them to practise skills that can be useful in their future careers. The employer specifically mentions an interest in call centre work and building experience in the financial and insurance industry.
For someone with little or no employment history, that experience can matter.
You could leave the programme with experience of working in a professional environment, dealing with people, following workplace procedures, communicating professionally and managing responsibilities according to a roster.
Those are skills that can be difficult to demonstrate when your CV consists mainly of a Matric certificate.
What you would actually be signing up for
The programme is listed as 18 months.
That is important because this is not a short holiday placement. Anyone applying needs to be comfortable committing to a structured programme and the working arrangements attached to it.
The employer states that successful applicants will sign a fixed-term learnership agreement. It is specifically not an employment contract.
In other words, applicants should not approach the opportunity with the expectation that they are automatically being hired permanently at the end.
The value of the programme is the combination of workplace exposure and learning.
There is also a formal training component. According to the vacancy, one day each week will be dedicated to full qualifications training on site.
Who can apply?
The basic entry requirements are relatively accessible, particularly for young people who have recently completed school.
You should meet the following conditions:
- Have a Matric qualification.
- Be computer literate, including Microsoft Office.
- Be a South African citizen.
- Be between 18 and 35 years old.
- Have been unemployed for the last six months.
- Have no previous work experience requirement to worry about.
The employer also states that applicants should not simply rely on their qualification. The successful candidate needs to demonstrate strong interpersonal and communication abilities, initiative, professionalism, adaptability, the ability to multitask and handle pressure, and a genuine willingness to learn.
That tells you something useful about the selection process.
Your personality can matter as much as your CV
If you have never had a formal job, you may look at the requirements and wonder how you are supposed to prove that you can communicate well or work under pressure.
You do not necessarily need years of employment to demonstrate these qualities.
Think about situations where you have dealt with people, worked as part of a group, helped customers, volunteered, assisted at a family business, participated in community activities or taken responsibility for something important.
Do not invent experience.
Instead, identify genuine situations that show how you behave.
For example, someone who helped organise a community event may already have experience communicating with different people, solving small problems and working under time pressure. That does not make the person an experienced call centre agent, but it can demonstrate useful workplace qualities.
Your CV should therefore not only say that you are a “hard worker”.
Give employers something real to work with.
Be prepared for the working hours
This is an important part of the opportunity that applicants should not overlook.
The vacancy states that learners will work according to a predetermined roster. The advertised arrangement includes Friday-to-Monday shifts, Saturday and Sunday working hours, two weekdays off and one day each week for on-site qualification training.
The employer also states that learners may be required to work a full day on a South African public holiday if they are scheduled to work that day, unless it is a UK public holiday.
This means the opportunity may not suit someone who is only available during normal Monday-to-Friday office hours.
Read the working arrangement carefully before applying.
It is much better to understand the schedule now than to discover after being selected that you cannot commit to it.
What the R9,000 stipend means
The advertised stipend is R9,000 per month.
It is worth remembering that a stipend should not automatically be treated as the same thing as a permanent salary package.
The purpose of the payment is connected to the learnership programme. The vacancy also clearly states that the agreement is fixed-term and is not an employment contract.
Applicants should therefore look at the full opportunity rather than making their decision based only on the monthly amount.
Ask yourself whether the workplace experience, training and industry exposure fit the career direction you want to pursue.
How to make your application stronger
Before opening the application form, prepare your information.
Your CV should be clean and easy to read. Make sure your contact number and email address are correct and that your education information matches your certificates.
If you have computer skills, mention them clearly.
If you have experience dealing with people, helping customers, volunteering or working in a team, explain what you actually did rather than filling your CV with generic words.
Also check your application carefully before submitting it.
A small mistake in an email address or telephone number can become a much bigger problem if the employer cannot contact you.
Most importantly, do not add qualifications, experience or computer skills that you do not have. A short but truthful CV is better than an impressive-looking CV that cannot stand up to verification.
Where is the learnership based?
The opportunity is based in Centurion, Gauteng.
This matters for applicants who live far away.
Before applying, consider whether you can realistically travel to the workplace and attend the required training. Do not assume that accommodation or transport will automatically be provided because the vacancy does not state that.
Location should be part of your decision, not something to worry about after receiving an invitation.
Is there a closing date?
The current official recruitment listing does not specify a closing date.
This is worth pointing out because several third-party websites may display different dates or older information.
Applicants should use the live employer listing as the final reference for the status of the opportunity rather than relying on a date copied from another job website.
If the application is available and you meet the requirements, there is little benefit in waiting unnecessarily.
Helpful guides you can explore on careerspath
- Want to Work at Capitec? Here’s What You Need to Know Before Applying
- Getting a Job at Transnet: A Practical Guide to Finding the Right Vacancy and Applying
Is this opportunity right for you?
The strongest candidate is not necessarily the person with the longest CV.
This opportunity is specifically suitable for someone who has Matric, is unemployed, meets the age and citizenship requirements and genuinely wants to develop experience in a customer-facing environment.
You should also be comfortable with the working schedule and the fact that the programme is fixed-term.
If your main goal is simply to find a permanent job immediately, this may not be what you are looking for.
But if you are trying to get your first meaningful workplace experience and are interested in insurance, financial services or contact-centre work, the programme could be a useful starting point.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need previous work experience?
No. The official vacancy states that no work experience is required.
How much is the stipend?
The advertised stipend is R9,000 per month.
How long is the programme?
The official vacancy is titled OSS Hastings Learnership (18 Months), making the stated duration 18 months.
Where is it based?
The opportunity is based in Centurion, Gauteng.
Is this a permanent job?
No. Successful applicants enter into a fixed-term learnership agreement, which the employer specifically distinguishes from an employment contract.
Before you press submit
A learnership should be viewed as a starting point rather than a guarantee of a job at the end.
If you qualify for the OUTsurance Hastings Direct Learnership, take time to prepare an honest application that shows more than your Matric certificate. Think about the skills you already have, the situations where you have demonstrated responsibility and the type of career you want to build.
The official vacancy confirms the key details: the programme is 18 months, based in Centurion, offers a R9,000 stipend, requires Matric and computer literacy, and does not require previous work experience.
Most importantly, check the employer’s live application page before submitting your details because the available official listing does not currently provide a closing date.
Official application: OUTsurance’s live recruitment listing for the OSS Hastings Learnership (18 Months). View the official OUTsurance vacancy