With retail and merchandising industries throughout the world evolving at a fast pace, the ability to bring value is no longer limited to selling — it involves analyzing and understanding customer trends, product setup, management of the supply chain, and much more. The Merchandising Learnership 2025 gives both young professionals and school leavers a firm footing and hands-on experience to pursue this profession and the career opportunities it offers.
What is a Merchandising Learnership?
Merchandising learnerships are a combination of book and practical experience with an employer. Often these learnerships are formalized and will have some form of accreditation. Learnerships are 12 month long commitments, and have formalized structures. In the case of South Africa, merchandising learnerships are sponsored by and regulated through SETAs (Sector Education and Training Authorities) which add a layer of robustness and credibility to the system.
Merchandising Learnership 2025: What’s Different?
As the retail landscape digitized and shifted to a more customer-focused and data driven approach, the 2025 edition of merchandising learnerships have kept pace. Companies are on the lookout for learners who not only want to grasp the art of merchandising, but who can also navigate inventory management, sales tracking, and customer interaction online and through social media platforms.
2025 Learnership Key Features:
The intersection of retail brick-and-mortar and eCommerce will be studied. In addition, learners will study omni-channel merchandising strategies for seamless integration into retail.
Sustainability Focus: Establishing modules on eco-friendly merchandising and sustainable supply chains has become a major industry standard due to rising ethical consumerism.
Data-Driven Decision-Making: Participants will learn how to make merchandising decisions using customer and point-of-sale data as well as AI systems through customer data.
Practical Work Placement: A practical component of the learnership involves gaining experience at retail outlets or distribution centers where the learners are supervised as they skillfully work.
Who Should Apply?
The Merchandising Learnership 2025 is tailored for:
Unemployed youths between 18 to 35 years of age who are looking for work and skill development opportunities.
Individuals who have completed their high school education and have an interest in retail, marketing, or supply chain logistics.
Self-motivated people with keen observation skills who are willing to work beyond normal business hours, including weekends and public holidays.
While a background in retail is not necessary, participants are expected to demonstrate a highly constructive attitude paired with strong work ethic.
Benefits of Participating
Earned credentials are issued to learners as a verified certificate: Participating in the program leads to an NQF Level 2–4 in Wholesale and Retail Operations or related fields.
Allowance and training: Participants are paid a stipend while actively participating in practical training, making them more employable.
Job opportunities: Retailers actively hire successful participants, allowing for career advancement and long-term employment.
Soft Skill Development: Alongside other technical training, learners acquire important verbal communication, time management, and collaboration skills which are indispensable in any employment setting.
Partnering Companies and Institutions
Retail outlets, supermarkets, fashion merchants, and wholesale distributors usually collaborate with training providers and SETAs to offer merchandising learnerships, which…
…fulfill learners’ disparate needs to grapple with the outside business world and current industry benchmarks.
Some programs may be offered in partnership with:
The Wholesale and Retail SETA (W&RSETA)
National retail chains (e.g., Pick n Pay, Shoprite, Mr Price)
Private training providers accredited by QCTO, the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations.
How to Apply
In late 2024 or early 2025, learnership applications will be available for the 2025 intake. In advance of that date, learners are expected to:
Draft an up-to-date CV
Verify that they have a certified copy of their ID and the highest qualification
Apply with listed company SETA or reputed job websites.
Lastly, it’s important to emphasize the importance of guarding against scams. No learnership offer should be seeking payment from the applicant.
Last Remarks
The Merchandising Learnership 2025 Program is not just an opportunity, but a launchpad into an evolving industry that values creativity, operational effectiveness, and in-depth customer insights. As the retail landscape evolves, positions such as this learnership ensure that the upcoming cohorts of merchandisers are able, and equipped, not just to keep pace, but to excel.
If you are fresh out of school, or looking to change your career path, this retail learnership program is designed as a pathway into a robust and promising career in retail.
