The Department of Basic Education recently conducted a hiring spree, hiring young, unemployed, and qualified people to become education and school assistants(Teaching assistant jobs). The process resulted in nearly 300,000 unemployed youth finding lucrative work at government schools.
Who Can Apply For a Teaching Assistant Job?
The purpose of the Department of Teaching’s assistant job drive is to hire unemployed youth. For this reason, only those between 18 and 35 years of age can apply. Furthermore, applicants will have to have a National Senior Certificate (Matric) and not be receiving any government grant or assistance or in university, college, or currently receiving other training.
If you meet these criteria and are placed at a school, you will be required to provide additional information to substantiate your qualifications and prove that you are a good candidate for the job. Then, once that information is received, you’ll be employed by the school for five months, where you’ll have the opportunity to receive training that can lead to opportunities in the future.
What Areas Can You Expect to Receive Training On?
While you’re in the five-month program, you will be assigned a position where you’ll receive training on. These are the available positions according to the DBE:
ICT Support
Your responsibilities may include troubleshooting IT issues and uploading educational content on learners’ and teachers’ devices, among other IT-related duties.
Child and Youth Care Work
If you’re hired as a child and youth care worker, your function will be to provide psychosocial support to learners.
Reading Champions
Your job as a reading champion is to improve reading and literacy rates among learners.
Infrastructure Maintenance
Those employed in infrastructure maintenance will become handymen at schools and be provided with training to ensure they provide good quality work.
Sports and Enrichment Agents
Your job will be to assist schools with sports and cultural activities. You will have to be fit and interested in sports.
Step by Step Guide to Apply for Teaching Assistant Jobs
If you meet the necessary criteria, you will only be able to apply online for a job as no walk-in applications will be processed.
From there, the system will connect you to a school that needs a teaching assistant job.
Besides, because the government plans to make this an annual opportunity, you can follow the three steps outlined below for any future phases for education assistant applications.
Step 1: Visit SAYouth.mobi
To get access to the teaching assistant jobs, you will need to visit SAYouth.mobi as it forms part of the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative to enable the youth to find jobs.
The website is free to access from Rain, Vodacom, Cell C, MTN, and Telkom, which means you don’t need data to apply.
Step 2: Register For An Account
If you have never registered for SAYouth before, you will need to register for an account.
Fill in your ID number, name, surname, and cell phone number. You can also fill in your Whatsapp number and email address if you have one.
Then you’ll be asked a series of questions that shouldn’t take more than five minutes to complete. Answering these questions honestly is critical as they will determine the opportunities you have access to and where those opportunities are located.
Step 3: Apply for Available Jobs
When you’re on the website, you will be redirected to the opportunities that match your profile. This will include the teaching Assistant and General Assistant jobs but can also include other opportunities. You can start applying for these jobs or improve your profile by uploading a CV or adding other qualifications to your profile.
What Happens if You Are Shortlisted for a Teaching Assistant Job?
Once you’ve applied for the Teaching Assistant Job, the Department of Education encourages you to keep your phone with you until the process is over. The reason for this is that you may receive an SMS notifying you that you have been shortlisted.
And if you are shortlisted, you have a short window to provide supporting documents to ensure that you get the job. So, if you get an SMS or phone call that you have been shortlisted, be sure you send through the following supporting documents.
Upload Your CV
To ensure you have the skills necessary to work in one of the available roles, the DBE requires that you provide a CV. If you don’t have much work experience, your CV can include sections detailing your core competencies, systems you’re familiar with, and soft skills like being self-motivated, hard-working, willing to learn, etc.
Provide Written Testimonials
The Department of Basic Education also requires that candidates provide testimonials (references) from reputable sources. This testimonial could be a letter of recommendation from a former school teacher or principal, a church leader or a chief.
Submit a Police Clearance Certificate
It’s integral that you submit a police clearance certificate to secure the job, as the Department wants to ensure that candidates don’t pose a threat to the school or learners.
To get a Police Clearance Certificate, you will need to visit your local SAPS, get your fingerprints taken and complete an application form. You will also need to pay a R150 fee. From there, your application form will be sent to the SAPS headquarters in Pretoria, and your Police Clearance Certificate will be mailed to the SAPS where you applied.
Get an Affidavit to Show You Don’t Have A Criminal Record
It can take a few weeks to get a police clearance certificate, so while you wait to receive it, visit your local police station and request an affidavit stating you don’t have a criminal record. To expedite the process, you can request an affidavit while you’re getting your fingerprints taken for the PCC. The Department of Basic Education should accept the affidavit, but you can explain that it would take you a few weeks to get the PCC, which is why you are submitting an affidavit as a placeholder.
Submit a Certified Copy of your Matric Certificate and ID
The final documents you need to submit are certified copies of your matric certificate and ID.
After you have submitted these documents, you may be contacted for an in-person – or telephonic – interview. The purpose of these interviews is to ensure you’re a good fit for the school.
Can I Choose The School I Apply To?
To ensure every applicant has the opportunity to work in their community, the school you are shortlisted to will be based on your location and skills. This means you’re unable to select the school where you want to work. Instead, the DBE will find schools that require your skills.
If you have any questions regarding the Teaching Assistant Jobs, you can follow the Department of Education on Twitter @DBE_BEEI or Facebook @phase2beei.
