FoodBev SETA

About FoodBev SETA

FoodBev SETA is the Sector Education and Training Authority for food and beverage manufacturing in South Africa. The Skills Development Act of 1998 created the SETAs, and FoodBev SETA works within that law. Its licence has been extended to 2030. The head office is at 13 Autumn Street in Rivonia, Johannesburg, and the authority reports to the Department of Higher Education and Training. The sector it serves is broad. FoodBev SETA organises its work into five chambers: processed and preserved food, dairy, breakfast foods, food preparation products, and beverages. Together, these cover everything from meat, fish and vegetable processing to cheese, cereals, bread, spices, soft drinks, beer and spirits. Many employers in these industries are large, and many are small.

How FoodBev SETA supports students and workers

The authority does not run a single national bursary for school leavers. Instead, it builds skills through several tools. It pays out mandatory and discretionary grants to employers, accredits training providers, and develops occupational qualifications. It also studies the labour market to find skills gaps, and it offers career guidance to young people who want to enter the industry.

Funding for students usually arrives through partners. For example, FoodBev SETA has backed postgraduate research bursaries in food science and technology. In those calls, students did not apply to the SETA directly. Instead, the university bursary office submitted applications on their behalf. Research topics had to link to the food and beverage value chain, and preference went to South African citizens from previously disadvantaged groups and students with disabilities.

Past Masters funding covered registration, tuition, research costs and study material, up to a cap of R120,000 for the whole study period. However, amounts and rules change from one funding window to the next, so treat that figure as an example only. Learnerships, internships and workplace training also form part of the SETA's offer, and employers in the sector usually host them.

What to know before applying

First, find out which route fits you. Students at university should ask their financial aid or research office whether FoodBev SETA funding is open this year. Learners and unemployed youth should watch for learnership and skills programme adverts, which employers and training providers often publish. The SETA also posts discretionary grant calls on its website, mostly aimed at companies.

Next, prepare your documents early. Typical requests include a certified copy of your ID, proof of registration, academic records, and, for research students, an approved proposal with costs. Certified copies are normally valid for only three months, so do not certify them too soon. Finally, remember that many programmes do not allow you to hold two bursaries at once. Declare any other funding honestly. Because dates, amounts and fields differ each year, read the current advert on the official FoodBev SETA website before you spend time on an application. Be careful of fraud, too. Genuine funders do not ask students to pay a fee to apply.