Chemical Industries Education & Training Authority (CHIETA

About CHIETA

CHIETA is the Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority. It is one of South Africa's sector education and training authorities, known as SETAs. The Skills Development Act of 1998 created these bodies, and CHIETA began operating in 2000. It reports to the Department of Higher Education and Training, and its offices are in Richmond, Johannesburg.

CHIETA covers a wide range of industries. They include petroleum, pharmaceuticals, plastics, rubber, glass, explosives, fertilisers, paints and coatings, industrial gases and health products. Employers in these sectors pay a skills levy, and CHIETA uses part of that money to fund training.

How CHIETA supports students

CHIETA funds several kinds of skills development. It supports learnerships, internships, artisan training and bursaries. Therefore, it is a useful contact for school leavers, TVET students and university students who want a future in chemical manufacturing.

The best-known bursary is the Industrial Futures Bursary. Recent calls were aimed at unemployed South Africans studying chemical-industry-related qualifications at a public university or TVET college. The 2026 call covered tuition fees up to R76,000 a year, plus textbooks and approved academic costs where funds allowed. The bursary has no fixed list of one course. Instead, it supports qualifications that match the sector's needs, mainly in science and engineering.

Other CHIETA programmes may pay a stipend or place learners with employers. Conditions depend on the project, so read each notice closely.

CHIETA also publishes research on skills needs in the sector, and it works with employers, colleges and universities. This helps training match real jobs. For students, the sector offers roles such as chemical engineer, process technician, laboratory analyst, quality controller and plant operator. Many of these careers need strong mathematics and science, so start preparing early at school. Good marks in those two subjects open the most doors in this field.

What to know before applying

The 2026 call asked for a matric with mathematics and physical science and an overall average of at least 75%. Applicants also had to be South African citizens aged 16 to 35. In addition, household income could not be more than R600,000 a year. These rules can change each year, so treat them as a guide and not a promise.

Applications are made online through the CHIETA system, where you create a profile and upload certified documents. Those usually include your ID, matric certificate, tertiary results or acceptance letter, and proof of household income. The 2026 window closed on 27 February, and late applications were not accepted. Dates will differ in future years.

CHIETA does not charge for applications. Use only the official website and the support details listed there.