EWSETA - Energy & water

EWSETA learnerships 2026: how the energy and water route works

EWSETA covers electricity, gas, nuclear and renewable energy plus water collection, purification, distribution, sewage and sanitation. It is one of the few SETAs that publishes actual stipend bands.

Updated 22 July 2026 ·By GoCareers

Visit EWSETA

Sector: Energy & water
Stipend NQF 1-4: R36,000 / year
Stipend NQF 5: R38,000 / year
Stipend NQF 6: R40,000 / year
Head office: Parktown, Johannesburg · 011 274 4700
Official domain: ewseta.org.za

Who can apply

South African citizen
Bursary applicants: proof of application or provisional acceptance at a university or TVET college
Bursary applicants: certified ID and academic records
Learnership applicants: recruited by the host employer or accredited training provider, not by EWSETA directly
Specific age, pass-mark and other entry criteria are set per advert - EWSETA does not publish a general list

What you'll need

Certified copy of SA ID
Certified academic records / latest results
Proof of application or provisional acceptance from a university or TVET college
Institution statement of account on letterhead, stamped (for tuition support)
Proof of accredited or registered student accommodation (if claiming accommodation)
Application form completed in block letters and signed
CV

Step by step

Know which door you are knocking on

EWSETA funds organisations, not individuals, for learnerships. Discretionary grant applications are submitted by levy-paying and non-levy-paying employers, employer associations and lead employers - through a two-stage Expression of Interest then full online application. Those employers then recruit learners.

Tip: The one direct-to-EWSETA learner route is the bursary, via bursaries@ewseta.org.za.
For learnerships: target employers in the sector

Look at electricity, gas, nuclear and renewable energy companies, plus water boards and municipal water and sanitation operations. Apply to them directly and watch their careers pages.
Register interest in PowerUp

PowerUp is EWSETA's digital skills facilitation hub for the renewable energy sector, connecting industry, institutions and stakeholders. The page offers a "Register your interest" option - worth doing if renewables is your target.
For bursaries: email EWSETA directly

Bursary funding covers books and stationery, tuition fees per the official statement of account, and accommodation at university-accredited or registered student housing. Contact bursaries@ewseta.org.za for the current window.

Tip: EWSETA's public bursary page has not been updated in some time and still shows a 2023 closing date. Email them for the live cycle rather than relying on the date on the page.
Consider the ARPL route if you already have experience

EWSETA runs Artisan Recognition of Prior Learning (ARPL) and general RPL. If you have years of practical experience without a formal qualification, this route can convert that experience into a recognised artisan qualification.

The stipend bands EWSETA actually publishes

Most SETAs publish no stipend figures at all. EWSETA is a useful exception - its discretionary grant window guidelines set out both the grant cost per learner and the learner stipend:

Programme	Grant per learner	Learner stipend
Learnership (unemployed), NQF 1-4	R17,600	R36,000 / year
Learnership (unemployed), NQF 5	R17,600	R38,000 / year
Learnership (unemployed), NQF 6	R17,600	R40,000 / year
Learnership via RPL (employed)	R35,000	Not applicable
Learnership via RPL (unemployed)	R55,000	Not applicable
Skills programmes	R300 per credit	R3,000 / month (unemployed)
Work Integrated Learning (TVET)	R42,000	-
Work Integrated Learning (University)	R60,000	-

What EWSETA covers

In EWSETA's own words, the mandate spans the energy sub-sectors of electricity, gas, nuclear and renewable energy, and the water sub-sectors of collection, purification and distribution, waste and sewage, and refuse and sanitation.

Its stated skills priorities are:

Energy Security
Energy Efficiency
The Just Energy Transition
Decarbonisation
Water Quality
Water Demand Management
Water Conservation

If you are targeting renewables specifically, the Just Energy Transition is where the funding attention currently sits.

Programmes EWSETA runs

Learnerships - structured qualification plus workplace experience, funded via employers.
Skills Programmes - shorter, credit-bearing, R300 per credit with a R3,000 monthly stipend for unemployed learners.
Work Integrated Learning (WIL) - workplace placement for TVET and university students needing practical component.
ARPL and RPL - Artisan Recognition of Prior Learning, converting existing experience into a formal qualification.
Bursaries - books and stationery, tuition, and accredited student accommodation.
PowerUp - a digital skills facilitation hub for the renewable energy sector.

Provincial offices sit inside TVET colleges

Unusually, EWSETA's regional presence is hosted within TVET colleges, which makes them practical walk-in points if you are already studying:

Western & Eastern Cape: False Bay TVET College, Westlake Campus, Westlake Drive, Westlake, Cape Town - 021 701 0582
Free State: Motheo TVET College, cnr St Georges & Aliwal Streets, Bloemfontein - 051 406 9481
North West (Brits): Orbit TVET College, Ritz Street North, Brits - 012 381 5700
North West (Mahikeng): Taletso TVET College, Leah Mangope Highway, Mahikeng - 018 363 4124

Contact

Head office: 22 Wellington Road, Parktown, Johannesburg
Tel: 011 274 4700
Hours: Monday to Friday, 08:00-16:30

Email: info@ewseta.org.za · Bursaries: bursaries@ewseta.org.za

Fraud hotline: 0800 611 205 (toll free) · ewseta@thehotline.co.za · SMS 30916

Frequently asked questions

What stipend does an EWSETA learnership pay?

EWSETA's discretionary grant guidelines set annual stipends of R36,000 for NQF levels 1-4, R38,000 for NQF 5 and R40,000 for NQF 6. Skills programmes pay R3,000 a month for unemployed learners. These come from the January/February 2024 window guide, so confirm against the current advert.

Is the EWSETA stipend R17,600 a year?

No, and this is a common error. R17,600 is the grant EWSETA pays the employer per learner for an unemployed learnership. Your stipend is separate, at R36,000 to R40,000 a year depending on NQF level.

Can I apply to EWSETA directly for a learnership?

No. Discretionary grant funding is applied for by organisations - levy-paying and non-levy-paying employers, employer associations and lead employers - through an Expression of Interest then a full online application. Those organisations recruit learners. The bursary is the one direct learner route.

What sectors does EWSETA cover?

Energy: electricity, gas, nuclear and renewable energy. Water: collection, purification and distribution, waste and sewage, and refuse and sanitation.

What is PowerUp?

EWSETA describes PowerUp as a digital skills facilitation hub connecting industry leaders, educational institutions and stakeholders to close the critical skills gap in the renewable energy sector. You can register your interest on the EWSETA site.

Does EWSETA fund bursaries?

Yes. Bursary funding covers books and stationery, tuition fees per the official stamped statement of account, and university-accredited or registered student accommodation. Email bursaries@ewseta.org.za for the current window - the public page still shows an old 2023 closing date.

What is ARPL?

Artisan Recognition of Prior Learning. If you have substantial practical trade experience without a formal qualification, ARPL assesses that experience and can convert it into a recognised artisan qualification.

Where are EWSETA's offices?

Head office is at 22 Wellington Road, Parktown, Johannesburg (011 274 4700). Regional offices are hosted inside TVET colleges: False Bay (Cape Town), Motheo (Bloemfontein), Orbit (Brits) and Taletso (Mahikeng).

Related guides

Learnership stipends 2026

The gazetted minimum allowance and what real programmes pay.

Eskom careers

The biggest single employer in EWSETA's electricity sub-sector.

MERSETA learnerships

Engineering and artisan trades that overlap with energy infrastructure.

TVET colleges

EWSETA's regional offices are hosted inside four TVET colleges.

All 21 SETAs explained

What a SETA is, why you cannot apply to one directly, and the route that works.

Last updated 22 July 2026. We review and refresh this guide regularly — if something here is out of date, let us know.