A proposed partnership between CATHSSETA and McDonald’s South Africa could create a new pathway into employment for graduates with degrees and diplomas, including those with hospitality qualifications.
It is being considered as CATHSSETA seeks to focus on the impacts of skills-development programmes and not just the number of learners trained.
CATHSSETA CEO Marks Thibela spoke about the proposal during the launch of the second cohort of the McDonald’s/CATHSSETA Learnership Programme at McDonald’s South Africa’s head office in Sandton.
The proposed graduate programme is a consideration: it is not yet an open application opportunity and specific requirements have not been supplied.
Graduates could be considered for head-office roles
The proposed programme would target graduates who already have degrees or diplomas.
Thibela said hospitality graduates could possibly be included and that participants would have opportunities to gain exposure in areas such as finance, accounting, human resources and law.
An important component of the proposal is the possibility of placement upon graduation, with opportunities being considered for McDonald’s head office, not just its restaurant outlets.
The plan is to connect graduates’ qualifications with workplace experience and potential employment.
However, the final design of the programme has not been confirmed.
CATHSSETA wants employment outcomes to matter
The proposed initiative is part of a broader change in how CATHSSETA says it wants to approach skills development.
Traditionally, the number of learners entering learnerships, internships and other programmes has been a key indicator of success. However, CATHSSETA wants to place greater emphasis on whether learners are ultimately placed in employment.
Thibela argued that training large numbers of young people without providing realistic career pathways would have limited impact on South Africa’s youth unemployment.
Under the approach being considered, employing organisations would be encouraged to participate in training and commit to considering employing some of the participants who successfully complete their programmes.
Beyond McDonald’s, discussions include other large employers
CATHSSETA is also looking at whether this employment-focused approach could be developed with other large employers.
Thibela said discussions had taken place with major companies in the fast-food sector, including KFC, Nando’s and Burger King.
The intention is to encourage employers to become more involved in training and, where possible, co-fund the costs of skills development.
Such co-funding arrangements could potentially increase the number of young people benefiting from an employment-focused programme.
Existing McDonald’s learnership has second cohort
The proposed graduate programme should be distinguished from the existing McDonald’s/CATHSSETA learnership, which has now entered its second cohort.
The latest intake has been increased to 2,370 learners.
CATHSSETA has allocated R89 million to the current programme, compared with R44 million in 2024.
The increased investment followed an assessment of the first cohort, including an examination of why some learners left the programme.
According to Thibela, stipends and the recruitment process were among the factors considered when planning the latest cohort.
Combines classroom learning with workplace experience
The current learnership leads to a National Certificate in Fast Food Services.
Learners receive both formal instruction and workplace exposure.
McDonald’s chief people officer Dr Mamello Masia said that approximately 30% of the programme involves classroom learning, while 70% is dedicated to gaining practical experience in McDonald’s restaurants.
For learners, this combination can offer an opportunity to gain skills in a working environment while working towards accreditation.
The practical component is particularly relevant to CATHSSETA’s employment focus because workplace experience can contribute to learners’ formal studies.
First cohort recorded employment outcomes
The first McDonald’s/CATHSSETA cohort has already recorded employment outcomes.
McDonald’s said in October 2025 that 476 of the 1,400 learners trained have been permanently employed by the company.
The company also reported that more than 75% of participants who were no longer in the programme had found full-time employment in the industry, while 1.5% had started self-employment.
These results are the reason for CATHSSETA’s optimism about expanding the partnership.
They do not constitute guarantees that every learner in the second cohort will be offered permanent employment.
Rural youth and people with disabilities included in the focus
CATHSSETA has recruited Harambee into the recruitment process to improve outreach.
The authority wants the programme to reach more young people from rural communities and increase disability participation.
Thibela said the authority wants to see more than half of the current cohort coming from rural areas and people with disabilities, although the information supplied does not confirm that this goal has been achieved.
Expanding recruitment beyond major urban centres could help young people who have limited opportunities to engage with large employers and formal training programmes.
Why workplace experience matters
The programme takes place in the context of persistently high youth unemployment in South Africa.
The figures quoted during the launch demonstrate the scale of the problem. South Africa’s official unemployment rate was reported at 33.6% in the second quarter of 2026, while youth unemployment (aged 15 to 34) was at 47.4%.
The unemployment rate for people aged 15 to 24 was cited at 60.9% in the first quarter of 2026.
The second-quarter figures also showed that 36.4% of people aged 15 to 24 were not in employment, education or training – equivalent to around 3.8 million young people.
These conditions make the transition from education to employment especially challenging.
Graduates should know about the proposed programme
Graduates interested in the proposed initiative should be aware that it is not yet presented as an open recruitment programme.
The supplied information does not include:
An application opening date.
A closing date.
A confirmed stipend or salary.
Minimum academic requirements.
An age limit.
A confirmed number of graduate positions.
An official application procedure.
Until these details are formally announced, graduates should not share personal information with people claiming to recruit for the proposed programme.
What learners can gain from the current learnership
For those already participating in the second cohort, the programme offers an opportunity to combine an accredited qualification with practical experience.
Learners should take advantage of both components of the programme by completing their academic requirements and developing professional skills in the workplace.
Workplace experience can also be valuable when applying for future positions because it gives candidates the opportunity to demonstrate that they can apply their knowledge in a real business environment.
A potential shift in the role of SETAs
The proposed graduate programme reflects a broader question facing South Africa’s skills-development system: what happens after training concludes?
CATHSSETA’s approach places more emphasis on building relationships with employers that can potentially provide a pathway from training into work.
If the model is successfully expanded, it could establish a stronger connection between SETA-funded training and labour-market demand.
For now, however, the graduate programme is a proposal under exploration with McDonald’s. The existing learnership is the confirmed programme currently operating under the partnership.
Source
This report is based on information supplied from the McDonald’s/CATHSSETA Learnership Programme launch, including statements attributed to CATHSSETA CEO Marks Thibela and McDonald’s chief people officer Dr Mamello Masia.
The unemployment statistics referenced in the supplied material are attributed to Statistics South Africa.
Editorial policy
We independently write and edit our articles for South African readers, using source material to establish the reported facts. We distinguish between confirmed programmes and proposals and do not present discussions about future opportunities as active applications.
We do not add unsupported salaries, stipends, application dates, eligibility requirements or employment guarantees.
Disclaimer
The proposed CATHSSETA/McDonald’s graduate programme is not confirmed as an open application opportunity in the information used for this report.
Programme details may change before any formal launch. Graduates should verify any future announcement through official channels before applying or sharing personal information.
Applicant awareness
Be careful when responding to online advertisements for SETA programmes and private-sector jobs. Legitimate opportunities should provide clear information about the organisation, requirements and application process.
Never pay someone who promises guaranteed selection or employment. Verify the opportunity through the relevant organisation before providing identity documents, banking details or other sensitive information.
