ALPLA is recruiting an unemployed candidate aged 18 to 34 for its Mechanical or Electrical Maintenance Technician YES Programme. Based in Durban North, the 9-to-12-month contract offers a market-related salary but targets an already experienced technician with an engineering qualification, four years in manufacturing and three years of supervisory experience.
For a technically qualified candidate whose career has been interrupted by unemployment, this opportunity provides a possible route back into a demanding manufacturing environment.
Programme details:
- Company: ALPLA
- Position: Maintenance Technician Mechanical/Electrical
- Programme: YES Programme
- Reference number: AP-24
- Location: Durban North
- Contract duration: Nine to 12 months
- Contract type: Fixed-term contract
- Work level: Student or graduate
- Salary: Market-related
- Employment Equity position: No
- Date listed: 13 July 2026
- Closing date: Not stated
Why is this not a beginner-level technical programme?
Although the position is classified at student or graduate level, its experience requirements are substantial.
This opportunity is not intended for someone entering a manufacturing plant for the first time. Candidates need at least four years of manufacturing experience and three years of supervisory experience.
The successful technician will manage electrical and mechanical maintenance matters while supporting production equipment, plant utilities, infrastructure projects, contractors and maintenance personnel.
Who meets the core YES Programme conditions?
Candidates must satisfy all three of the programme’s youth employment requirements:
- Be between 18 and 34 years old
- Be unemployed when submitting their details
- Never have participated in a YES Programme before
Candidates who previously completed a YES Programme do not meet the advertised eligibility conditions.
Which qualifications and experience are required?
Applicants need an appropriate combination of education, technical knowledge and manufacturing leadership experience.
The requirements include:
- Grade 12
- An Electrical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering qualification
- At least four years of workplace experience in a manufacturing environment
- At least three years of supervisory experience
- A thorough understanding of different types of technical equipment
- Hands-on experience managing a busy team
- Good organisational and leadership abilities
- Strong English and relevant local-language skills
Candidates should ensure that the dates and responsibilities recorded in their curriculum vitae clearly demonstrate the required manufacturing and supervisory experience.
What plant maintenance responsibilities come with the role?
The Maintenance Technician will help keep production equipment, facilities and utility systems operating safely and efficiently.
The central maintenance responsibilities include:
- Conducting electrical services and maintenance
- Performing preventative maintenance on machinery
- Repairing machine breakdowns
- Maintaining current and accurate maintenance records
- Installing manufacturer modifications and equipment updates
- Maintaining an organised spare-parts warehouse
- Ensuring essential spare parts remain available
- Promoting good housekeeping within maintenance areas
- Managing contractors working on site
- Ensuring company maintenance procedures are followed
The technician must also ensure that employees understand workplace policies, particularly those relating to health and safety.
How broad is the facility and utilities responsibility?
This position covers more than production machinery. The successful candidate will also participate in the maintenance and monitoring of major plant infrastructure.
Equipment and systems may include:
- Air compressors
- Chillers
- Cooling systems
- Water-treatment equipment
- Electrical power-distribution systems
- Generators
- General facility and utilities equipment
The technician will complete daily facility checks, coordinate external service providers and manage maintenance agreements for equipment such as compressors and chillers.
Additional responsibilities include:
- Planning and directing maintenance and utility services
- Conducting equipment cost analyses
- Monitoring plant infrastructure operating parameters
- Recording energy and water consumption
- Monitoring infrastructure costs
- Supporting plant-layout design and coordination
- Reviewing work for compliance with engineering principles and local legislation
- Updating technical drawings and layouts
- Managing small and medium-sized infrastructure projects
- Keeping projects within agreed timelines and budgets
Itumeleng’s Insider Tip: Place your manufacturing and supervisory experience near the top of your curriculum vitae. Name the machinery, utilities, maintenance projects and teams you have managed instead of relying only on a general maintenance position title.
Which leadership and safety responsibilities matter?
The successful candidate will coordinate and develop the facility and infrastructure team.
Leadership duties may include:
- Assessing employee training needs
- Ensuring identified training is completed
- Arranging staff cover during absence or leave
- Completing annual performance evaluations
- Helping the maintenance team work efficiently
- Briefing and managing external contractors
- Communicating project objectives and timelines
The technician will also carry responsibilities relating to quality, food safety, environmental management and occupational health and safety.
This includes:
- Reporting quality and food-safety risks
- Maintaining awareness of environmental and safety requirements
- Complying with plant hygiene standards
- Reporting non-conformities
- Supporting corrective actions
- Reporting incidents and unsafe conditions
- Maintaining clean and orderly work areas
What behaviours does ALPLA expect?
The successful candidate must demonstrate ALPLA’s values through practical workplace behaviour.
Important behavioural expectations include:
- Creating trust
- Building respect
- Developing the potential of others
- Delivering excellent results
- Acting reliably
- Solving problems
- Making decisions
- Communicating effectively
These qualities are particularly important because the position combines technical maintenance, team supervision, contractor management and infrastructure planning.
How must candidates submit their details?
The listing does not state a closing date. Candidates who meet every compulsory requirement should therefore prepare their documents and submit them promptly.
Applications must be completed through the official online application portal.
Candidates should have an updated curriculum vitae, Grade 12 information, engineering qualification details and a complete employment history available before beginning the online process.
What should candidates know before submitting?
Can someone with no manufacturing experience qualify?
No. The advertised requirements include at least four years of experience in a manufacturing environment.
Is supervisory experience compulsory?
Yes. Candidates need at least three years of supervisory experience and hands-on experience managing a busy team.
Who qualifies for the YES Programme?
Candidates must be unemployed, between 18 and 34 years old and must never have participated in a YES Programme before.
How long does the contract run?
The advertised contract duration is between nine and 12 months.
What salary does ALPLA offer?
The listing describes the salary as market-related. A specific amount is not provided.
Grow Your Career with SETACareers
Access the latest learnerships, internships, bursaries, scholarships, fellowships, apprenticeships, and practical SETA guides designed to help you succeed.
- Learnerships
- Internships
- Apprenticeships
- Bursaries
- Scholarships
- Fellowships
- Career Advice
- SETA Guides
Final Thoughts
The ALPLA Maintenance Technician YES Programme is unusual because it combines youth-employment eligibility with senior technical experience requirements.
Candidates must be unemployed and aged between 18 and 34, but they also need an established manufacturing record, an engineering qualification and supervisory experience.
A strong submission should make the required four years of manufacturing experience and three years of team supervision immediately visible while highlighting maintenance work involving production machinery, utilities, contractors and safety compliance.
