Metropolitan Life is offering 12-month learnership opportunities for unemployed young people in the Eastern Cape, with positions available in Port Elizabeth, Mthatha and King Williams Town.
The Metropolitan Learnerships 2026 are aimed at young South Africans who want to gain practical experience in the insurance and financial services sector while working towards a Wealth Management NQF Level 4 qualification.
The programme will start in October 2026 and is designed for unemployed applicants between the ages of 18 and 35 who have completed Grade 12 or an equivalent NQF Level 4 qualification.
Learners will gain workplace exposure in areas such as customer service, administration, financial services operations and client support while learning from experienced professionals in the insurance industry.
Applications close on 21 August 2026.
What are the Metropolitan Learnerships 2026?
The Metropolitan Learnership Programme is a structured development opportunity that combines formal learning with practical workplace experience.
Successful applicants will join Metropolitan Life for approximately 12 months. During this period, learners will complete theoretical training while also participating in everyday workplace activities.
The programme provides an entry point into the broader insurance and financial services industry, which includes careers in customer service, policy administration, sales, financial advice, insurance operations, client relationship management and wealth management.
For young people who have completed Matric but have not yet secured permanent employment, the programme provides an opportunity to gain recognised training and practical experience at the same time.
Where are the Metropolitan learnerships available?
The current Eastern Cape learnership opportunities are available in three locations:
- Port Elizabeth – Reference MMH260814-3
- Mthatha – Reference MMH260813-9
- King Williams Town – Reference MMH260813-2
Applicants should apply for the location that is most suitable for them.
These are not remote positions. Learners will be required to participate in the programme at the relevant Metropolitan workplace location throughout the learnership.
The positions are temporary and fall within the Operations role family at Metropolitan Life.
What qualification can learners obtain?
Participants will have the opportunity to obtain a Wealth Management NQF Level 4 qualification.
This qualification provides a foundation for people who want to understand financial services, customer relationships, financial products and administrative processes used within the industry.
The knowledge and workplace exposure gained during the programme can support future career opportunities in areas such as:
- Insurance
- Wealth management
- Financial services
- Customer service
- Client administration
- Sales support
- Policy administration
- Financial operations
- Retail financial services
- Relationship management
For applicants who want to begin building a career in banking, insurance or related financial services, this type of qualification can provide a useful starting point.
Who can apply for the Metropolitan Learnership Programme?
The programme is aimed at unemployed South African youth who meet the eligibility requirements.
Applicants must:
- Have Grade 12 or an equivalent NQF Level 4 qualification
- Be between 18 and 35 years old
- Be a South African citizen by birth
- Be unemployed
- Belong to a previously disadvantaged group
People living with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
Previous full-time professional experience is not listed as a requirement, which makes the programme suitable for young applicants who are trying to gain their first meaningful workplace exposure.
Candidates should, however, be prepared to complete both the academic and practical requirements of the learnership throughout the 12-month period.
What will learners do during the programme?
Learners will participate in both theoretical learning and day-to-day workplace activities.
The practical side of the programme includes administrative support, document handling, client communication and assisting with queries.
Responsibilities include:
- Completing the required theoretical learning
- Completing administrative and reporting duties on time
- Collating and compiling documents
- Distributing documents according to required standards
- Responding to client queries professionally
- Helping maintain a good client experience
- Routing queries to the appropriate employees or departments
- Assisting with the resolution of client queries
- Maintaining appropriate office housekeeping standards
These duties give participants exposure to the operational side of a financial services business and help them understand how customer queries, documents and administrative processes are managed.
Will the learnership include customer service experience?
Yes. Customer service is an important part of the programme.
Learners will interact with queries and help ensure that customers receive professional assistance. This involves understanding what a client needs, directing the query to the correct person and helping to support the resolution process.
Customer service skills are particularly valuable in financial services because companies regularly assist people with insurance policies, savings products, retirement solutions and other financial matters.
Experience in this area can support future applications for jobs such as customer service consultant, insurance administrator, call centre consultant, sales consultant and client service representative.
What skills are needed for the Metropolitan Learnership?
Applicants should be organised, comfortable working with information and able to communicate clearly.
Important competencies include:
- Attention to detail
- Good planning skills
- Time management
- Numerical reasoning
- Analytical ability
- Good written English
- Good verbal communication
- English comprehension
- Stakeholder engagement
- Relationship management
- Computer literacy
These skills are important because learners will be expected to complete training activities while also handling administrative and client-related responsibilities.
Being able to work accurately and meet deadlines will also help participants manage both the qualification requirements and their workplace duties.
Why is this learnership relevant to a financial services career?
Metropolitan operates in the financial services industry and provides products connected to financial protection, savings and long-term financial planning.
Its services include areas such as:
- Life insurance
- Funeral insurance
- Savings products
- Retirement solutions
- Health-related financial products
- Hospital cash-back cover
This gives learners exposure to an industry that plays an important role in helping individuals and families manage financial risks and plan for the future.
The experience gained through the programme may therefore be useful for people who later want to pursue careers in insurance administration, sales, wealth management, customer service, banking or other areas of financial services.
When does the Metropolitan Learnership start?
The programme is scheduled to begin in October 2026 and will run for approximately 12 months.
Successful candidates should be available to participate for the full duration of the programme.
Because the opportunity is structured as a learnership, participants will be expected to complete the required training as well as the practical workplace component.
The position type is temporary and should be viewed as a skills-development and workplace-training opportunity rather than permanent employment.
When is the closing date for applications?
Applications close on 21 August 2026.
The same closing date applies to the opportunities in Port Elizabeth, Mthatha and King Williams Town.
Applicants should submit their applications early enough to avoid missing the deadline, particularly if supporting documents need to be uploaded as part of the application process.
How do you apply for the Metropolitan Learnerships 2026?
Applications must be completed online for the specific location where you want to participate in the programme.
The available application options are:
- Apply for Metropolitan Learnerships 2026 – Port Elizabeth
- Apply for Metropolitan Learnerships 2026 – Mthatha
- Apply for Metropolitan Learnerships 2026 – King Williams Town
Use the correct reference number when checking the position:
- Port Elizabeth: MMH260814-3
- Mthatha: MMH260813-9
- King Williams Town: MMH260813-2
Applications for the Metropolitan Learnerships 2026 must be submitted by 21 August 2026.
