OUTsurance is inviting unemployed South African youth to join its 18-month OSS Hastings Learnership in Centurion, providing structured call centre experience and practical exposure to the financial and insurance industry.
Successful applicants will enter a fixed-term learnership agreement and receive a R9,000 stipend. However, OUTsurance makes it clear that the agreement does not constitute an employment contract. The official advertisement also does not specify whether the stated stipend is paid monthly or according to another schedule.
Candidates need Grade 12, basic Microsoft Office abilities and no previous work experience. They must also be South African citizens between 18 and 35 years old and must have remained unemployed for the previous six months.
The programme includes an unusual roster that requires availability from Fridays through Mondays, including selected public holidays. Therefore, candidates should review the working hours carefully before submitting an application.
As of 6 August 2026, the official OUTsurance vacancy page still displayed an application option but did not provide a closing date. Eligible candidates should consequently submit complete applications while the listing remains available.
How will the OUTsurance learnership prepare unemployed youth for work?
The learnership combines workplace experience with structured qualification training.
Participants will practise the communication, customer service and organisational abilities needed in a busy call centre environment. At the same time, they will learn how an insurance company interacts with customers and manages service-related responsibilities.
OUTsurance describes the programme as an opportunity for unemployed youth to develop practical skills that can support their future occupations. Therefore, it could suit candidates who want to enter:
- Customer service.
- Call centre operations.
- Insurance support.
- Financial services administration.
- Client relationship management.
- Service-based sales environments.
Although the programme does not guarantee permanent employment, 18 months of structured experience could help learners strengthen their curriculum vitae and compete for future entry-level opportunities.
Who meets the programme’s eligibility requirements?
OUTsurance has kept the academic requirements accessible because the learnership targets candidates who still need their first workplace opportunity.
Applicants must:
- Hold a Grade 12 certificate.
- Be computer literate.
- Understand basic Microsoft Office applications.
- Be South African citizens.
- Be between 18 and 35 years old.
- Have remained unemployed during the previous six months.
- Be interested in call centre work.
- Be available for the full 18-month programme.
No previous work experience is required. As a result, candidates should not exclude themselves simply because they have never held a formal position.
However, applicants must answer questions about their unemployment history honestly. Someone who worked during the previous six months may not meet the stated requirement, even if they are unemployed when applying.
What does the non-financial advice classification mean?
The vacancy classifies the programme as a Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services non-financial advice-giving role.
Therefore, learners should expect customer support and service responsibilities rather than duties that require them to act as qualified financial advisers.
They may assist customers, communicate information and help resolve routine matters under guidance. However, they should follow approved processes and escalate questions that fall outside their authority.
This structure allows participants to gain experience in the insurance environment while learning how regulated businesses protect customers and manage service standards.
Which working hours should candidates expect?
The advertised roster differs from a standard Monday-to-Friday schedule.
OUTsurance requires learners to work shifts based on a predetermined roster covering Friday through Monday. The listing refers to nine-hour shifts, while it separately identifies eight hours on Saturdays and five hours on Sundays.
Learners will receive two weekdays off, which may fall on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.
In addition, OUTsurance will dedicate one day each week to full-qualification training at its premises.
Candidates should therefore expect a schedule that combines:
- Rostered call centre shifts.
- Weekend work.
- On-site qualification training.
- Two weekdays away from operational duties.
- Selected public holiday shifts.
Before applying, candidates should consider whether they have reliable transport for early, late or weekend working hours.
Will learners work on public holidays?
Learners must work a full day on a South African public holiday when the roster schedules them to work.
However, the advertisement notes an exception when the date is also recognised as a public holiday in the United Kingdom. This condition likely reflects the customer market supported by the OSS Hastings team.
Consequently, candidates should not assume that every South African public holiday will provide a day off. Availability during rostered holidays forms part of the programme’s operational requirements.
Why is call centre interest important?
OUTsurance specifically wants candidates who have a genuine interest in call centre work.
Call centre environments can move quickly because employees must assist customers, use computer systems and manage several tasks while maintaining professional communication.
Suitable learners should feel comfortable:
- Speaking to different people.
- Listening carefully to customer concerns.
- Capturing information while communicating.
- Following approved processes.
- Asking for assistance when necessary.
- Remaining calm during demanding conversations.
- Working towards service expectations.
- Receiving coaching and feedback.
Candidates who dislike frequent customer interaction may struggle to enjoy the programme, even when they meet the academic requirements.
Which competencies will OUTsurance assess?
OUTsurance expects successful candidates to demonstrate several competencies at an advanced level.
These include:
- Relationship building: Creating positive interactions with customers and colleagues.
- Initiative: Acting responsibly without waiting for constant instructions.
- Professional engagement: Communicating respectfully in every interaction.
- Adaptability: Responding positively when systems or priorities change.
- Multitasking: Managing communication, information and systems simultaneously.
- Stress management: Remaining focused during busy periods.
- Communication: Expressing information clearly and listening carefully.
- Self-motivation: Taking responsibility for learning and development.
Applicants should support these qualities with examples rather than copying the words into their curriculum vitae.
For example, assisting people during a community event could demonstrate interpersonal ability. Meanwhile, completing several school assignments under tight deadlines could show organisation, resilience and stress management.
How important are computer skills?
OUTsurance requires computer literacy because learners will operate within a digitally enabled call centre environment.
Applicants should understand basic Microsoft Office functions and feel comfortable learning additional systems.
Useful abilities may include:
- Typing accurately.
- Writing and responding to emails.
- Opening and saving documents.
- Capturing information into forms.
- Using Microsoft Word.
- Navigating Microsoft Outlook.
- Working with basic Microsoft Excel spreadsheets.
- Organising electronic files.
- Switching between different windows or applications.
Candidates do not need advanced technical qualifications. Nevertheless, they should be able to use a computer confidently while communicating with customers.
What could learners gain during the 18 months?
The programme could help successful candidates build a practical foundation in customer service and insurance operations.
Participants may develop:
- Call centre experience.
- Professional telephone communication.
- Customer relationship skills.
- Basic insurance industry knowledge.
- Computer and system confidence.
- Workplace discipline.
- Multitasking ability.
- Stress-management skills.
- Teamwork.
- Problem escalation awareness.
- Experience following regulated processes.
- A full qualification linked to the training programme.
Furthermore, learners will gain a longer period of workplace exposure than many 12-month programmes provide.
However, candidates should remember that OUTsurance will offer a learnership agreement rather than a standard employment contract. Therefore, completion does not automatically create permanent employment rights.
How should candidates tailor their curriculum vitae?
Candidates without work experience should use their curriculum vitae to demonstrate readiness rather than focusing on an empty employment section.
The opening profile can mention:
- Grade 12 completion.
- South African citizenship.
- Interest in call centre and insurance work.
- Microsoft Office knowledge.
- Strong communication abilities.
- Availability for weekend shifts.
- Willingness to complete 18 months of training.
- A positive attitude towards learning.
Applicants can also include experience gained through:
- School leadership.
- Volunteer activities.
- Community projects.
- Sports teams.
- Church or youth organisations.
- Informal customer assistance.
- Academic group assignments.
- Computer training.
- Family business responsibilities.
Each example should explain the skill developed.
For instance, helping customers in a family business may demonstrate communication and relationship building, even when the candidate did not receive formal employment.
Itumeleng’s Insider Tip: State your weekend and public holiday availability clearly on your curriculum vitae. The roster is one of the programme’s most important conditions, so showing that you understand it could prevent doubts about your availability.
Which documents should applicants prepare?
The official advertisement does not publish a complete supporting-document checklist.
However, candidates should keep the following documents ready in case the online system requests them:
- An updated curriculum vitae.
- A clear copy of the South African identity document.
- A copy of the Grade 12 certificate.
- A recent proof of address.
- Any available computer literacy certificate.
- Additional documents requested during the online process.
Applicants should only upload documents requested through the official recruitment portal.
They should also use clear file names, such as:
- Karabo-Mokoena-Curriculum-Vitae.pdf
- Karabo-Mokoena-Identity-Document.pdf
- Karabo-Mokoena-Matric-Certificate.pdf
How can candidates prepare for an interview?
OUTsurance may assess communication, customer service potential and readiness for the advertised roster.
Candidates should prepare to explain:
- Why they want call centre experience.
- Why the insurance industry interests them.
- How they manage pressure.
- How they would respond to an unhappy customer.
- How they build relationships with new people.
- Whether they can work weekends and public holidays.
- How they respond to feedback.
- Which Microsoft Office programs they can use.
- How they manage several responsibilities at once.
Applicants should answer clearly and use practical examples from school, volunteering or everyday responsibilities.
They should also remain honest about their experience. Since the programme does not require previous employment, there is no need to exaggerate informal activities.
How can eligible candidates submit their applications?
Candidates must complete the application through the official OUTsurance recruitment system.
Applications must be submitted through the official online application portal.
OUTsurance has not published a closing date on the listing. Therefore, candidates should submit their details promptly while the application option remains available.
Before submitting, applicants should review every field and ensure that their telephone number and email address remain correct.
What should applicants check before submitting?
Candidates should confirm that:
- They have completed Grade 12.
- They are South African citizens.
- They are between 18 and 35 years old.
- They have remained unemployed for the previous six months.
- They understand that this is a learnership agreement.
- They can commit to the full 18-month programme.
- They can work the advertised weekend roster.
- They can attend on-site qualification training.
- They can work selected South African public holidays.
- Their curriculum vitae contains accurate contact details.
- Every uploaded document opens clearly.
Applicants should also save the submission confirmation for their records.
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Final Thoughts
The OUTsurance OSS Hastings Learnership 2026 offers unemployed South African youth a valuable opportunity to gain 18 months of call centre and insurance experience.
Candidates need Grade 12 and basic Microsoft Office abilities, while no previous work experience is required. However, they must be aged 18 to 35, hold South African citizenship and have remained unemployed for the previous six months.
The programme provides a R9,000 stipend, structured workplace exposure and weekly on-site qualification training. Nevertheless, candidates must carefully consider the Friday-to-Monday roster and the requirement to work selected public holidays.
OUTsurance has not announced a closing date. Therefore, eligible candidates should prepare an accurate curriculum vitae and submit their applications while the official vacancy remains available.
