What to Do After Matric If You Cannot Find a Job

Finishing matric is a major achievement, but the next step is not always straightforward. You may have applied for jobs without receiving a response, missed out on a study place, or discovered that further education costs more than your family can afford.

If you are wondering what to do after matric when you cannot find a job, you have several routes to explore. These include learnerships, further study, apprenticeships, skills development, and building experience while continuing your job search.

You do not have to make every decision at once. Start by identifying what you need most urgently: an income, a qualification, practical experience, or better results for the course you want to study.

This guide will help you turn those needs into a realistic plan.

1. Decide What You Need From Your Next Step

Before applying for everything you see, consider your circumstances.

Ask yourself:

• Do I need to earn money immediately?
• Can I travel to work or training?
• Which subjects and activities am I strongest in?
• Do I prefer practical work, office tasks, or working with people?
• Do I meet the admission requirements for my preferred course?
• Would studying require funding or accommodation?

Your answers can help you choose a main goal and a backup option.

For example, you might apply for entry-level jobs while researching learnerships. Alternatively, you could prepare for further study while improving one matric subject.

Your priority	Options to investigate
Finding an income	Suitable entry-level, temporary, or part-time vacancies
Learning through work	Learnerships and apprenticeships
Gaining a qualification	University or TVET college programmes
Improving admission prospects	Matric subject rewrites
Building evidence of your abilities	Projects, limited volunteering, or informal work

These are possible pathways, not guarantees of admission, funding, or employment.

2. Improve Your CV Before Sending More Applications

If you are receiving few responses, review the quality and relevance of your applications.

A first-time job seeker’s CV can include:

• Education and relevant subjects.
• Computer and language skills.
• School projects.
• Leadership responsibilities.
• Volunteering.
• Informal or occasional work.
• Relevant training.

Describe what you actually did. For example, “helped organise stock at a family shop” is more useful than an unsupported claim such as “highly experienced retail professional.”

Adjust your personal profile and skills section for each type of job. An administration vacancy may require you to highlight document preparation and accuracy, while a customer-facing role may call for communication and patience.

Make sure your phone number works, your email address is correct, and your attachments open properly.

Related reading: How to Write a CV With No Experience in South Africa.

3. Search for Jobs You Meet the Requirements For

A focused search can save money on data, transport, and printing.

Depending on the advertised requirements, you might investigate roles such as:

• Shop assistant.
• Customer service trainee.
• Warehouse assistant.
• General worker.
• Reception or administration assistant.
• Hospitality assistant.
• Cleaner.
• Temporary event worker.

These examples do not mean vacancies are currently available or that every employer accepts applicants without experience.

Read each advertisement carefully. Check the location, minimum qualification, working hours, experience requirement, and application method before submitting.

Keep a simple application tracker:

Employer	Position	Date applied	Closing date	Status
[Employer name]	[Job title]	[Date]	[Date]	Submitted

Tracking applications helps you identify patterns and prepare if an employer contacts you.

4. Explore Learnership Opportunities

Learnerships are worth investigating if you want to develop occupational skills through structured learning and workplace experience.

The South African Government advises unemployed applicants to contact Sector Education and Training Authorities, known as SETAs, to find out which employers offer learnerships. Government youth programmes also identify learnerships as a route into skills development.

Before applying, check:

• The entry requirements.
• The qualification or training outcome.
• The location and duration.
• Whether an allowance is offered.
• Attendance requirements.
• Whether you must be unemployed or within a specified age range.
• The identity of the employer and training provider.

Do not assume that every learnership pays the same allowance or leads to permanent employment. Read the actual terms of the programme.

You can start with the government’s guidance on finding a learnership.

5. Consider an Apprenticeship if You Enjoy Practical Work

If you enjoy working with tools, solving practical problems, or understanding how equipment works, investigate artisan training.

Apprenticeship pathways combine theoretical and practical training with workplace experience. Becoming a qualified artisan involves meeting the relevant training and assessment requirements, including a trade test.

Trades to research include electrical work, plumbing, welding, fitting, and motor mechanics.

Requirements differ between programmes. Check whether specific Mathematics, Science, or technical subjects are required.

Before accepting an offer, ask:

• Who provides the training?
• Where will workplace training take place?
• What qualification or trade pathway does it support?
• What costs or allowances apply?
• Which assessments must be completed?

Do not assume that completing a short practical course automatically makes you a qualified artisan.

6. Research TVET College Options

A Technical and Vocational Education and Training college may be worth considering if you want to investigate vocational or occupational study routes.

Use the Department of Higher Education and Training’s TVET college directory to identify institutions, then contact the college directly about its programmes. DHET also publishes institutional registers that can help you check providers.

Compare more than the course name. Ask about:

• Entry requirements.
• Course content and qualification level.
• Campus location.
• Tuition and other costs.
• Required workplace learning.
• Application and registration dates.
• Progression or employment pathways.

Choose a programme because it supports a realistic goal, rather than simply because a place is available.

Before paying a private provider, verify both the institution’s status and the relevant programme’s recognition with the appropriate authorities.

7. Investigate University and Funding Options

If you want to study further, check the requirements for specific programmes rather than relying only on your overall matric result.

Keep a record of each institution’s deadlines, subject requirements, application fees where applicable, and supporting documents.

If funding is a concern, investigate NSFAS and other bursaries. NSFAS supports eligible students studying at public universities and public TVET colleges, subject to its funding conditions. Use the official website to check the applicable criteria and application process.

Visit NSFAS for official information.

Treat admission and funding as separate steps. Submitting a funding application does not itself secure a study place,

and an admission offer does not automatically confirm funding.

For other bursaries, check what is covered and whether there are conditions such as academic performance requirements or a work-back obligation.

8. Improve Your Matric Results Where Necessary

If your results do not meet the requirements of your preferred pathway, investigate rewriting relevant subjects.

The Department of Basic Education’s Second Chance Matric Programme provides support for learners who want to rewrite subjects and work towards meeting National Senior Certificate or Senior Certificate requirements.

Visit the official Second Chance Matric Programme page.

Before committing, confirm:

• Which examination route applies to you.
• Whether you qualify to register.
• Registration deadlines.
• Available learning support.
• The subjects and marks required by your intended course.

Registering for learning support and registering for an examination may involve different steps. Confirm both with the relevant education office.

Choose subjects strategically. Improving a subject required for your intended qualification may be more useful than rewriting without a clear goal.

9. Use SA Youth to Explore Opportunities

SA Youth is an official pathway platform for learning and earning opportunities. Government describes SAYouth.mobi as a zero-rated platform, and the site states that it is free to use without consuming airtime or data. External websites linked from it may have different data requirements.

Visit SAYouth.mobi.

Keep your profile information accurate and check the requirements of each listed opportunity.

Registration is a starting point, not a job offer. Continue using other verified employer and institution websites alongside the platform.

10. Build One Useful Skill at a Time

You do not need to collect many unrelated certificates. Choose a skill that appears repeatedly in the jobs you want.

For office or administration work, you could practise:

• Writing a professional email.
• Creating a clear document.
• Entering and checking spreadsheet data.
• Organising digital folders.
• Managing a simple appointment schedule.

For customer-facing roles, practise listening, explaining information, handling basic calculations, and responding politely to complaints.

Create a small example of your work. An aspiring administrator could prepare a fictional stock register or meeting agenda. Someone interested in digital work could build a simple website or sample content portfolio.

Label practice projects honestly. Do not present them as paid client work.

Before purchasing training, check the full cost, course content, provider, and whether the advertised certificate has value for your goal.

11. Gain Experience Without Overcommitting Yourself

A limited volunteer role or community project can provide examples of teamwork, reliability, and organisation.

You might help a local organisation with an event, assist with basic records, or support a community activity.

Agree on the responsibilities, hours, supervision, and duration before starting. Consider transport and meal costs, especially if you need paid work urgently.

Volunteering should not be treated as a requirement for employment or a guarantee of a future job. Choose an arrangement that is safe, manageable, and useful to you.

Keep a record of what you contributed and ask whether a supervisor would be willing to provide a reference.

12. Consider a Small Service You Can Offer

If you already have a useful skill, you could test whether people nearby need it.

Possible examples include tutoring a subject you understand well, basic document formatting, garden maintenance, or simple design work.

Start with a clear service, realistic pricing, and low costs. Discuss what the customer will receive and when payment is due.

Avoid borrowing money for an untested idea or assuming that self-employment will provide a reliable income immediately.

Protect customers’ personal information. For example, helping someone type a CV does not require access to their email password or banking details.

A Practical 30-Day Plan After Matric

Use this as a starting point and adjust it to your responsibilities and resources.

Week	Main focus	Practical outcome
Week 1	Prepare your application materials	Updated CV, working email, organised documents, and application tracker
Week 2	Research suitable pathways	A shortlist of verified jobs, training programmes, or study options
Week 3	Apply and practise	Tailored applications and regular practice of one relevant skill
Week 4	Review and improve	Check application progress, practise interviews, and revise your plan

Set goals around actions you control. “Submit three suitable, carefully checked applications” is more useful than “get a job by Friday.”

Mistakes to Avoid

Waiting for One Employer

Continue applying while you wait for a response. An application acknowledgement is not an offer.

Paying for Guaranteed Placement

Treat promises of guaranteed employment in exchange for payment with caution. Verify unusual requests directly with the organisation through independently obtained contact details.

Joining Any Course Without Checking It

An attractive advert is not enough. Understand the provider, qualification, total cost, and likely relevance before paying.

Applying Without Reading the Requirements

Sending many unsuitable applications can use time and money without improving your prospects.

Inventing Experience

Keep your CV and interview answers accurate. Real examples from school, projects, or informal responsibilities are more useful than fabricated employment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a job with matric and no experience?

Some vacancies accept first-time applicants, but requirements differ. Look for suitable entry-level roles and explain your genuine skills clearly.

Should I study or look for work?

Consider your financial needs, admission prospects, interests, and available funding. You can investigate both routes before committing, provided you keep track of deadlines and obligations.

Is taking a gap year a bad idea?

A gap year can have a purpose if you set realistic goals. These might include job searching, saving money, improving results, researching courses, or gaining skills.

Review your progress regularly rather than allowing the year to pass without a plan.

What if I cannot afford further study?

Check funding options through official sources and speak to the institution’s financial aid office. Confirm the full cost before registering; do not assume funding will be approved later.

What if I still receive no interview invitations?

Review whether you meet the advertised requirements, whether your CV shows relevant evidence, and whether you are following submission instructions. Ask a trusted teacher, mentor, or career adviser to review an application.

Not finding work immediately after matric does not decide your future. Start with a manageable plan: improve your applications, investigate one or two realistic pathways, and build skills you can demonstrate.