MISA Apprenticeship and Experiential Learnership Programme 2026/2027: Applications Open for Unemployed Youth, Graduates and WIL Students

Documents you will need

• All applications must include the documents specified by MISA.
• MISA application form, including the reference number for the relevant trade/position and name of municipality as per the applicable list;
• Curriculum Vitae (CV);
• Certified copies of relevant qualifications;
• Certified copy of South African identity document;
• Proof of residential address; and
• For applicants who still require WIL to satisfy their qualification requirements, a release/confirmation letter from the institution of higher learning confirming approval to undertake workplace experience.
• MISA specifically instructs applicants to submit their documents in one package and sequentially arranged according to the document requirements.
• Incomplete applications will not be considered.

How to apply

Applications are submitted directly to MISA - we do not collect applications. Read the eligibility criteria, prepare your supporting documents, then complete your application on the official page.

Full details

The Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA) has opened applications for its Apprenticeship and Experiential Learnership Skills Development Opportunities for the 2026/2027 financial year, creating opportunities for unemployed young South Africans, TVET College learners and graduates who need practical workplace experience.

This is an important skills-development intake for candidates interested in artisan careers, municipal infrastructure, engineering and technical fields. The opportunities include apprenticeship training in Electrical, Plumbing, Bricklaying, Motor Mechanic and Diesel Mechanic trades, as well as experiential learning opportunities for graduates and students who require Work Integrated Learning (WIL).

Applications close on 28 September 2026 at 16:00. Late applications will not be accepted.

Quick Overview: MISA 2026/2027 Opportunities

What is MISA?

The Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA) is a Schedule 3 government component within the Department of Cooperative Governance.

Its mandate includes providing technical support and building technical capacity in municipalities to improve the planning, delivery, operation and maintenance of municipal infrastructure.

The 2026/2027 training intake therefore gives successful candidates an opportunity to obtain practical exposure while contributing to the municipal infrastructure environment.

MISA states that successful candidates will be placed in MISA-identified municipalities. Applicants should therefore understand that placement may involve practical training within participating municipalities rather than at MISA’s Centurion office.

1. MISA Apprenticeship Programme 2026/2027

The MISA Apprenticeship Programme is a three-year structured learnership programme aimed at helping learners develop towards becoming qualified artisans.

The programme focuses specifically on unemployed youth from TVET Colleges and accredited training institutions who possess qualifications relevant to the specified artisan trades.

Training includes both:

• on-the-job training; and
• off-the-job training.

Successful candidates enter into a three-year learnership contract with MISA and are placed with a host municipality.

MISA says recruitment is targeting candidates for placement during the 2026/2027 financial year.

Who should consider applying?

The programme is particularly relevant to unemployed youth who have studied engineering or technical subjects at a TVET College or another recognised training institution.

Applicants should, however, compare their qualifications carefully with the requirements for the individual trade rather than assuming that any engineering qualification will qualify them.

MISA Apprenticeship Trades Available

1. Electrical Apprenticeship

Reference: Electrical 2026/01

Applicants should have one of the following:

• Engineering Science or full N2 Engineering (four subjects) with the relevant trade theory - Engineering Science, Industrial Electronics, Mathematics and the fourth subject relevant to the trade; OR
• Technical trade-theory programmes quality-assured by a SETA and deemed equivalent to NQF Level 3; OR
• Relevant Engineering NC(V) Certificate with seven subjects at NQF Level 3; OR
• Technical Grade 11 with Mathematics, Science, language and related theory subject; OR
• Relevant N6 trade theory subjects or a National Technical Diploma (T, S and N stream).

Application email: [email protected]

1. Plumbing Apprenticeship

Reference: Plumbing 2026/02

Applicants should meet the academic requirements outlined by MISA, which include recognised engineering/trade-theory pathways such as relevant N2 Engineering, SETA-quality-assured trade programmes, Engineering NC(V), Technical Grade 11 or appropriate N6/National Technical Diploma routes.

Application email: [email protected]

1. Bricklaying Apprenticeship

Reference: Bricklaying 2026/03

Candidates interested in building and construction artisan careers can apply for the Bricklaying apprenticeship, subject to meeting MISA’s specified engineering/trade academic requirements.

Application email: [email protected]

Bricklaying and plumbing are closely associated with construction and municipal infrastructure skills. Applicants interested in these trades can also explore the Edupstairs CETA Apprenticeship guide. Edupstairs explains that CETA apprenticeship pathways cover construction and the built environment, including building trades, plumbing, infrastructure and civil-engineering-related fields.

1. Motor Mechanic Apprenticeship

Reference: Motor Mechanic 2026/04

Candidates who meet the applicable engineering and trade-theory requirements may apply for the Motor Mechanic programme.

Application email: [email protected]

1. Diesel Mechanic Apprenticeship

Reference: Diesel Mechanic 2026/05

The official advertisement lists the following routes:

• Technical Grade 12 with Mathematics; OR
• Engineering Science or full N2 Engineering (four subjects) with the relevant trade theory, including Engineering Science, Industrial Electronics, Mathematics and Motor Mechanic Engineering; OR
• N3 Engineering (four subjects) with the relevant trade theory, including Engineering Science, Industrial Electronics, Mathematics and Diesel Mechanic Trade Theory.

Application email: [email protected]

Motor and diesel mechanic applicants may also find the Edupstairs merSETA Apprenticeship Programme guide useful. merSETA covers metal and engineering, auto manufacturing, motor retail and related technical sectors, and its apprenticeship pathway combines institutional and workplace training towards recognised trades.

1. MISA Experiential Learnership Programme 2026/2027

The second major component of the intake is the MISA Experiential Learnership Programme.

This programme caters for:

• unemployed graduates who require workplace exposure; and
• unemployed students/youth who need Work Integrated Learning to complete their studies.

There are two important routes within this part of the programme.

1. Graduates in Technical Fields

MISA is offering two-year internship learning opportunities to unemployed graduates in technical fields relevant to municipal infrastructure operations and maintenance.

The programme is described as a work-based internship for unemployed graduates from:

• Universities;
• Universities of Technology; and
• TVET Colleges,

who need workplace exposure to enter the labour market.

MISA also indicates that, while the programme is not exclusively limited to people from previously disadvantaged communities, it seeks to address service-delivery and skills-development backlogs and encourages historically disadvantaged individuals to apply.

This makes the opportunity particularly relevant to engineering and technical graduates who have completed their studies but have struggled to obtain their first substantial workplace experience.

1. Work Integrated Learning (WIL)

MISA is also offering WIL placements for students who require practical experience as part of their qualification.

The programme provides approximately 12 to 24 months of practical workplace experience, depending on the requirements of the learner’s programme.

Applicants must be willing and available for placement, including possible rotation or relocation to municipalities or private-sector organisations where workplace exposure is available.

Importantly, MISA states that it does not guarantee employment after qualification.

Students who need WIL should also explore the Edupstairs SETA Platform, which includes dedicated pathways for apprenticeships, artisan development and workplace experience. Edupstairs also maintains resources specifically covering TVET workplace experience and student internship pathways.

MISA Experiential Learnership References and Application Emails

The advertisement provides three application references:

Applicants should use the reference applicable to their field and ensure that the reference is correctly reflected on the application form.

Documents Required for MISA Applications

All applications must include the documents specified by MISA.

Applicants should prepare:

MISA specifically instructs applicants to submit their documents in one package and sequentially arranged according to the document requirements.

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

How to Apply

Applicants must complete the official MISA application form.

The form can be obtained through the MISA and Cooperative Governance websites. Alternatively, applicants can request an application form by emailing: [email protected]

For apprenticeship applications, send the completed application package to the email address corresponding to your chosen trade:

Experiential Learning applications should be submitted to the relevant experiential programme email listed earlier.

Important application warning

Do not simply email your CV.

MISA requires the prescribed application form and supporting documents. An incomplete application could therefore result in disqualification even where the applicant meets the academic requirements.

Choosing a Municipality for Placement

The advertisement states that applicants should clearly indicate the name of the municipality where they would prefer to be placed.

A list of MISA-identified host municipalities is available through MISA/COGTA.

MISA advises candidates to select from those host municipalities and notes that successful apprenticeship candidates will be placed with a host municipality.

For WIL applicants, MISA encourages candidates to apply for placement in municipal areas where they reside to minimise travelling and accommodation costs.

This does not mean applicants are guaranteed their preferred municipality. Candidates should be prepared for the placement arrangements determined by the programme.

Why the MISA Programme is Relevant to TVET College Students

The apprenticeship component specifically targets unemployed youth from TVET Colleges and accredited training institutions with relevant qualifications.

TVET students and prospective artisan learners can use Edupstairs resources to investigate their options before applying.

The Edupstairs TVET College resources provide information on public TVET Colleges across South Africa, including campuses and study areas. TVET Colleges commonly offer NATED engineering programmes, while individual colleges also provide NC(V), occupational and artisan-related pathways.

Applicants planning further TVET study should compare their programme carefully with the exact MISA apprenticeship requirements.

Explore Municipal Artisan Programmes on the Edupstairs SETA Platform

Because MISA’s work is directly connected to municipal infrastructure and technical capacity, applicants should also understand the broader local-government skills-development landscape.

The Edupstairs LGSETA Artisan Development guide covers apprenticeship and artisan-development pathways relevant to municipal trades. The platform identifies municipal administration, water and sanitation, roads, infrastructure, waste and related municipal services among LGSETA’s sector areas.

Edupstairs also lists a Municipal Artisan Development Programme pathway aimed at apprenticeship and artisan development for municipal technical trades.

More broadly, the Edupstairs SETA Platform allows job seekers and students to explore all 21 SETAs, compare programmes and search pathways including apprenticeships, artisan development, learnerships and WIL.

Important: These Edupstairs SETA resources are supplementary career-planning tools. They do not mean that LGSETA or another SETA is necessarily the funder of this particular MISA intake unless MISA states this in its official documentation.

Explore the Careers Before Applying

Applicants who are unsure which trade best matches their interests can use the Edupstairs Career & Qualification Explorer.

The platform allows users to search South African careers, OFO occupations, SAQA qualifications, NQF levels and career-to-qualification connections. Relevant searches for this intake include Electrician, Plumber and other trade or engineering careers.

This is particularly useful for a young applicant deciding whether an apprenticeship should be treated as a short-term opportunity or as the beginning of a longer-term artisan career.

Selection and Important Conditions

Applicants should take note of several conditions contained in the MISA advertisement.

MISA reserves the right not to make appointments.

Candidates may be subjected to suitability checks covering matters such as:

• qualifications;
• employment history;
• credit records;
• criminal records;
• company ownership/directorship; and
• reference checks.

Faxed, posted and hand-delivered applications will not be accepted.

Applications received after the closing date and time will not be considered.

Fraudulent qualifications or documentation will result in disqualification.

Successful candidates may also be required to undergo a medical fitness test.

Direct or indirect canvassing for preferential treatment will result in disqualification.

MISA states that if an applicant receives no response within 90 days after the closing date, the application should be regarded as unsuccessful.

Due to the expected volume of applications, only successful candidates will be contacted.

Enquiries

Ms Nobuhle Latha: (012) 848 5529 Ms Thulisile Mosoeu: (012) 848 5515 Ms Kelebogile Mekwa: (012) 848 5300

Applicants should use these contacts for legitimate programme enquiries rather than sending applications to the enquiry numbers.

Closing date: 28 September 2026

No late applications will be accepted.

Applicants should avoid waiting until 28 September to submit. Documents such as certified qualifications, proof of residence and institutional WIL letters can take time to obtain.

Tools you may find useful:

View Other Employment Opportunities here

Need Help?

Edupstairs Advice to Applicants

Treat the reference number and email address as critical application details. Sending an otherwise perfect application to the wrong trade email or omitting the correct reference can create unnecessary problems.

Before submitting, check that:

• your qualification meets the requirements of the specific trade;
• you have selected the correct programme;
• the correct reference appears on the application form;
• your CV is updated;
• qualification copies are certified;
• your ID copy is certified;
• proof of residence is included;
• your WIL institutional letter is included where applicable;
• you have selected an appropriate municipality from the official host list;
• all documents are combined into one organised application package; and
• you submit before 16:00 on 28 September 2026.

Applicants should also keep a copy of the complete application and proof that the email was successfully sent.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. When do MISA applications close?

Applications close on 28 September 2026 at 16:00.

1. Which apprenticeship trades are available?

MISA is recruiting for Electrical, Plumbing, Bricklaying, Motor Mechanic and Diesel Mechanic apprenticeship opportunities.

1. Can TVET College students apply?

Yes. The apprenticeship programme specifically targets unemployed youth from TVET Colleges and accredited training institutions who possess relevant qualifications.

1. How long is the apprenticeship?

The MISA advertisement describes it as a three-year learnership/apprenticeship programme leading towards artisan development.

1. Are there opportunities for graduates?

Yes. MISA is offering two-year internship learning opportunities to unemployed graduates in technical fields relevant to municipal infrastructure.

1. Is WIL available?

Yes. The experiential programme includes Work Integrated Learning opportunities for learners requiring approximately 12 - 24 months of practical workplace experience to satisfy their study-programme requirements.

1. Does completing the programme guarantee a permanent MISA job?

No. MISA specifically states that the programme does not guarantee employment after qualification.

1. Do WIL students need a letter from their institution?

Yes, where the learner still requires WIL to satisfy the qualification requirements, the application must include a letter from the institution confirming approval/requirement for the workplace learning.

1. Can I apply by post or hand-deliver my application?

No. The advertisement states that faxed, posted and hand-delivered applications will not be accepted. Applications should follow the specified email process.

1. What happens if I do not hear from MISA?

If you receive no response within 90 days after the closing date, MISA says you should regard your application as unsuccessful.

Our Conclusion

The MISA Apprenticeship and Experiential Learnership Programme 2026/2027 is a substantial opportunity for unemployed youth seeking artisan training and for technical graduates and students who need workplace exposure.

The strongest fit is likely to be applicants with relevant TVET engineering, NC(V), NATED/N2 - N6, technical or higher-education qualifications who want practical experience in South Africa’s municipal infrastructure environment.

With opportunities spanning Electrical, Plumbing, Bricklaying, Motor Mechanic, Diesel Mechanic, graduate technical internships and WIL, applicants should identify the correct pathway first and then submit a complete, properly referenced application.

Closing date: 28 September 2026 at 16:00.

You can also:

Disclaimer

This article is based primarily on the MISA 2026/2027 recruitment advertisement supplied above. Edupstairs resources have been added to help applicants understand related TVET, career and SETA pathways. Applicants should always use the official MISA advertisement and application form as the final authority on eligibility, placement and submission requirements.

EDUPSTAIRS IS A REGISTERED NON-PROFIT ORGANISATION NPO No: 232 - 182, PUBLIC BENEFIT ORGANISATION (PBO): 930066984. EDUPSTAIRS DOES NOT, IN ANY WAY OR FORM, SOLICIT MONEY OR CV’S FROM PEOPLE FOR JOBS. PLEASE BE AWARE OF PHONY JOB POSTINGS AND RECRUITMENT FRAUD. USE THE EDUPSTAIRS SCAM DETECTOR TOOL TO SPOT A SCAM BEFORE YOU APPLY

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