To lecture at a public TVET college you need an approved qualification in your subject, a professional teaching qualification in technical and vocational teaching, and registration with the South African Council for Educators (SACE). Each college sets further requirements, such as industry experience, in the advert for the post.
The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) governs which qualifications count. A draft national policy on the evaluation and recognition of qualifications for college lecturers was published for public comment on 20 February 2026 and will replace the 2000 criteria once it is finalised, so confirm the current position before you plan your studies.
Entry Requirements at a Glance
- An approved qualification in the subject you will teach, such as a recognised diploma or degree
- A professional teaching qualification for TVET: the Diploma, the Bachelor of Education or the Advanced Diploma in Technical and Vocational Teaching
- SACE registration or provisional registration: the SACE Act says nobody may be appointed as an educator without it
- Foreign qualifications verified by SAQA
- Any further requirements in the specific advert, including industry experience, which differs from post to post
Academic and Minimum Admission Requirements
DHET’s Policy on Professional Qualifications for Lecturers in TVET (Government Gazette 36554, 11 June 2013) selects three professional qualifications for TVET lecturers: the Diploma in Technical and Vocational Teaching, the Bachelor of Education in Technical and Vocational Teaching and the Advanced Diploma in Technical and Vocational Teaching.
The draft 2025 policy sets how a lecturer’s academic qualification is rated. An approved first degree of 360 credits at NQF Level 7 is rated REQV 13, which means academically qualified but professionally unqualified. That is why a degree on its own is not enough: you still need the professional teaching qualification. The REQV figures and credit rules come from the draft and may change when the policy is finalised.
A Level 5 Higher Certificate of 120 credits is an entry-level qualification for aspiring lecturers who do not meet direct entry. It is not a professional teaching qualification.
Subjects, APS and Qualification Requirements
No APS applies, because lecturing is employment rather than admission to study. What matters is your qualification route.
- Diploma in Technical and Vocational Teaching: the minimum entry is a Level 4 National Senior Certificate or National Certificate (Vocational) with endorsement for diploma studies and appropriate subjects, or an appropriate Level 4 vocational certificate
- Advanced Diploma in Technical and Vocational Teaching: you need an appropriate undergraduate diploma or bachelor degree with enough learning in the subject to lecture a technical or vocational subject. It is NQF Level 7 and 120 credits
- Not stand-alone: the earlier degree or diploma and the Advanced Diploma together give professionally qualified status as a TVET lecturer
- Approved first diploma: 360 credits at NQF Level 6 under the draft policy, with the National N Diploma also listed at REQV 13
Documents and Application Requirements
Each college or DHET office advertises its own posts and lists the documents it wants, so follow the advert exactly. Expect to need:
- Your certified ID and qualification certificates
- Proof of SACE registration or provisional registration
- A SAQA evaluation if any of your qualifications are foreign
- Proof of industry experience if the advert asks for it
If your trade is a listed trade, note that the Skills Development Act says nobody may hold themselves out as a qualified artisan unless registered as an artisan under section 26C(1). Whether a post asks for a trade test certificate or artisan registration is set in its advert.
Selection, Intake and Eligibility Considerations
Posts are advertised by individual TVET colleges and by DHET, so check the vacancies page of the college you want to work for. DHET lecturer posts are public service posts, and DHET cites the Public Service Act’s “fit and proper person” requirement for permanent appointment.
If you have substantial learning from a teaching workplace or an industrial workplace, the 2013 policy lets you present yourself for assessment of prior learning against a qualification’s outcomes. It also describes a Vocational Education Orientation Programme (VEOP), piloted from 2010 with higher education partners, that introduces lecturers to the TVET context. Completers can get credit recognition in the new qualification.
Public sector recruitment is advertised and free to enter. Nobody can sell you a post.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need SACE registration to lecture at a TVET college?
Yes. Under section 29(1) of the SACE Act a person may not be appointed as an educator unless registered or provisionally registered with SACE, and DHET’s recruitment policy requires lecturing applicants to be SACE-registered.
Can a qualified artisan lecture?
Yes, if you meet the post’s requirements. Your trade expertise covers the subject side. You then need the professional teaching qualification, for example the Advanced Diploma in Technical and Vocational Teaching if you hold an appropriate diploma or degree. Check the advert for the qualification and experience the college wants.
Can a school teacher move into TVET?
Teaching experience helps, but the professional qualifications selected for TVET lecturers are specific to technical and vocational teaching. Check the post’s advert, and ask the college or DHET whether your current qualification is recognised.
Is a degree enough to become a TVET lecturer?
No. An approved 360-credit degree at NQF Level 7 is rated academically qualified but professionally unqualified under the draft policy. You also need a professional teaching qualification.
Is the new lecturer qualifications policy in force?
The 2013 policy on professional qualifications is the one in force. The 2025 policy on evaluating and recognising lecturers’ qualifications was published as a draft for comment on 20 February 2026. Confirm with DHET whether it has been finalised.
For current posts, qualification recognition and appointment rules, confirm with the Department of Higher Education and Training through its TVET colleges page and the college you want to join. See admission requirements and browse all education requirements.