NATED studies or National Qualification courses are vocational in design. They focus on giving the students the knowledge, skills and experience needed for a career path. NATED courses have qualification levels for each course available(N4, N5 and N6).
Skills Academy offers 7 NATED courses that have levels, that build upon the knowledge you learn from each one. So if you decide on a course, the first one you have to complete is N4, to get your qualification and start your N5 and N6 qualifications thereafter.
What Types Of NATED Courses Are Available?
It is a nationally recognised qualification that provides students with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in a variety of careers. Take a look at the options we have at Skills Academy:
- Human Resource Management Courses
- Financial Management Courses
- Business Management Courses
- Management Assistant Courses
- Legal Secretary Courses
- Marketing Management Courses
- Educare Courses
If you are looking to upskill or re-educate yourself for a new career, or simply want to advance your current career. Then a NATED course with us is the perfect option for you.
How Do These Courses Differ In Curriculum?
While each NATED course is different from the last, the curriculum stays the same across the board. NATED courses have the same entry requirements for each course. With them having a similar format for assessments and examinations. This also stands true when it comes to the levels for each course available
Which NATED Courses Are Most In-Demand?
All NATED courses are popular because of the course perks and industry-relevant skills the course offers. Each course has its appeal because everyone is different and can identify themselves with a course that fits them.
Are There Specialised NATED Courses For Specific Industries?
NATED courses are specialised courses because each one focuses on a specific industry. We offer different NATED courses, and students can find a course that suits them. Each course ensures students are equipped with everything required to enter their careers with the relevant experience.
What Are The Highest-Paying NATED Courses?
This mainly depends on the career you have chosen for yourself and the position you are in. Completing these courses means you gain entry-level skills and experience, and your pay cheque will reflect that.
With enough time, students who start in these beginner-level positions can rise and get better job roles in the future based on many factors. And this all begins with you gaining your qualification.
What Job Roles Do These Courses Lead To?
Each course has a specific industry it focuses on, each one has many careers students can get into with their qualifications. Here are some jobs students can start after receiving their NATED qualifications based on their chosen courses:
| NATED Courses | Job Roles |
| Business Management Course |
|
| Educare Course |
|
| Financial Management Course |
|
| Human Resource Management Course |
|
| Legal Secretary Course |
|
| Management Assistant Course |
|
| Marketing Management Course |
|
What Are The Easiest And Most Difficult NATED Courses?
This depends on the student, mainly their understanding and interest in the subject they are studying. When you understand and have an interest in the course, this allows you to know certain things about the course and can make studying more manageable.
How Do The Course Durations Compare?
Course durations depend on the student and whether they will study full-time or part-time. NATED qualifications take 6–12 months to complete. The N6 Diploma, however, takes 18 months to complete, and this applies to all the NATED courses available.
We also offer an ‘accelerated course‘ study option. This allows students to complete their course courses faster and earlier than normal, saving time and money.
Are There Additional Resources Available For Challenging Courses?
We include benefits with every course for students to gain assistance to confidently target their studies. While these courses are streamlined so that any student can understand the work. Some students might need a hand with their studies to keep up.
So, our benefits are there for every student. Here are some benefits we offer to students:
- Access to our Telegram and Facebook study groups
- Tutors to assist and support you in your studies
- We deliver study material for your courses directly to you
What Is The Meaning Of NATED?
NATED is the acronym for National Accredited Technical Education Diploma courses. These courses were created in South Africa and are aligned with the National Qualifications Framework. The NQF is a system of levels associated with attainable qualifications in South Africa.
NATED courses fit within this system as they are equivalent to two NQF levels. Here is a table detailing the equivalence NATED courses have with NQF levels:
| NATED Levels | NQF Levels |
| N4 Certificate | NQF Level 5 |
| N5 Certificate | NQF Level 5 |
| N6 Certificate | NQF Level 5 |
| N6 Diploma | NQF Level 6 |
Is NATED Accredited?
Yes, NATED courses are accredited and recognised for their courses that provide people with industry-relevant skills. This is so that the qualifications they receive from these courses follow the standards set by each accreditation body.
Who Are The Accrediting Bodies For NATED?
NATED courses are accredited by the Quality Council For Trades & Occupations (QCTO). They are an accreditation body that focuses on giving institutions like ours recognition to offer skills courses such as NATED.
These courses were created by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) for people with matric certificates. This helps students who recently graduated to study and gain relevant qualifications to start their careers. The QCTO is there to make sure the students receive the correct skills for their particular fields.
Why Should One Consider NATED Courses?
The main purpose of these courses is to provide skills to people. This can be anyone willing to go through every part of the course with an open mind about what the qualification they choose can do for them. You can consider these factors:
- Individuals who want to learn the industry-relevant skills each course offers
- Experienced individuals who want to gain more knowledge for future opportunities
- People who want skills for a career change
- People with few academic qualifications who need qualifications for better options
- Business minded people who want skills and qualifications to start their businesses
We believe that they are beneficial to everyone’s journey to success, and require time and dedication to complete them.
What Are The Benefits Of NATED Courses?
NATED courses offer various benefits that we believe can help students in different ways for overall better studies and life. Here is a list of benefits you will have when you study NATED courses with us:
- More Employment Opportunities
- Development Of Knowledge And Skills
- Affordability
- Flexibility
- Life Skills Development
More Employment Opportunities
The nature of NATED courses is to provide the necessary abilities and experience needed for better career opportunities in the future. From the knowledge that students gain from the certificate courses and the practical experience from the Diploma course. You are equipped with everything you need for a successful career.
Development Of Knowledge And Skills
These are courses that go in-depth about the industries the courses focus on. Each NATED qualification introduces you to new topics, and the more you study, the more the topics you have expanded on.
For example, here is a table showing the difference between the NATED Legal Secretary N4 and N5 classes:
| Legal Secretary Qualifications | Subjects | Topics |
| NATED N4 |
| Introduction to:
|
| NATED N5 |
| This course will give students a more detailed understanding of:
|
The table shows the subjects and topics students will learn from each qualification. Whilst they look the same, the difference is that students are introduced to the ideas in the N4 course, and the N5 course expands these ideas. This also continues to be the same with the N6 certificate course.
Affordability
We offer our NATED courses through distance learning, allowing students to study from home, or anywhere they please. So, factors like transportation, classes, accommodation and resources are some things you will not have to worry about.
Flexibility
Distance learning allows NATED courses to be flexible for students to study and understand the work. This allows you to handle the day-to-day responsibilities. You can fit any NATED course into your schedule and continue with life as normal, whilst earning a qualification that will enhance your life.
Life Skills Development
As beneficial as these courses are towards advancing your career, you can also use these skills to start your own business. Aside from having management courses, these are courses that help you understand business from every aspect.
This can help you with any business idea you might have and want to pursue as soon as you finish your qualification.
How Do NATED Courses Enhance Employability?
NATED courses enhance employability by giving students the necessary skills. This is so that when they eventually pursue their dream careers. They can get a head start without any lengthy training.
Are NATED Courses More Affordable Than Traditional Degree Programs?
Yes, while this can depend on the institution and different factors, we ensure students only focus on their education. Here is a table with details on how we make our NATED distance learning courses more affordable compared to university degrees:
| NATED Courses With Us | Traditional Degree Programs | |
| Tuition | Our courses are affordable compared to most institutions. All students pay for is estimated in the student fees. This includes access to resources and tutors. | Many institutions offer their degree courses at very high prices. So from registration fees, the course fees, infrastructure and additional resources, everything has a price. |
| Living Expenses | Since students study from home and are not required to attend any classes, they can save on relocating closer to school. | Most degree courses and institutions require students to attend class every day. And whilst living closer to the institution can help this, costs like accommodation and living alone can become a lot. |
| Transport Fees | Students study from home, and have the resources we provide, allowing them to save on travel fees. | Most students live further from their chosen institution. This means that they have to consider travelling expenses to attend classes on time. |
| Resources | We include resources that enhance your learning experience and assist your studies during your course, such as:
| Based on your chosen degree course, there will be additional resources that you will need to get that are not included with the tuition fees. These can become unnecessary expenses for some students without bursaries or scholarships. |
| Flexibility | Since our courses are flexible, they allow you to study while working, full-time or part-time. At any time of the day, or anywhere you are at your most productive, as long as it aligns with your schedule. | Degree courses are usually full-time, not all but most. This means that students will have to focus mainly on the course. It leaves no opportunity to gain any additional income, and they have to follow the timeline of the curriculum. |
How Flexible Are NATED Courses For Working Professionals?
Since our students are not required to attend any classes. Employed students can focus on the right time for them to study. And with our study options, students can also focus on their responsibilities and studies without any issues.
How Can One Pursue NATED Courses?
Through distance learning with us. We offer NATED courses for any student interested in gaining the skills needed to start their career with experience.
We also include benefits for students that assist them with their studies. They help them understand more about the topics they are studying and write with more confidence in their knowledge.
What Are The Entry Requirements For NATED Courses?
To apply for NATED courses, students need to meet the following criteria:
- You need to be 16 years or older to study
- You need a matric certificate or an equivalent qualification(NCV, Senior Certificate, etc)
- Read, write and understand English
- Study with us through distance learning
Are There Entrance Exams Or Interviews For NATED Courses?
No, we offer our courses to any student who wants to gain the skills necessary to start their dream career. So we exclude any entrance exams or interviews so that students from all walks of life can start studying for a better future.
It also helps that NATED students only require a matric certificate and NATED N4 courses are beginner-level, so once you apply you are good to go.
How Do I Apply For NATED Courses?
Students can apply to study NATED courses with us online. Students can request a call or WhatsApp from one of our course experts to learn more about the course they are interested in or find out more about the courses we offer.
How Long Does It Take To Earn A NATED Diploma?
It takes 6–12 months to complete a NATED certificate and 18 months to complete and receive your NATED N6 Diploma, earning your qualification. However, this can also be influenced by when you apply and whether you want to study full-time, or part-time.
Are There Part-Time Options For NATED Courses?
We offer all our courses with the option to study part-time. So for students with responsibilities such as being employed, these are the perfect courses to do on the side while you handle your business.
This is because every student deserves the opportunity to study towards their best self, and it starts with our NATED courses.
Can I Fast-Track My NATED Course?
Yes, we offer students an accelerated course option for anyone who wants to start their studies and write their exams sooner than students who are studying part-time. This option is perfect for students who are not as busy as part-time students with other responsibilities like employment or school, and full-time students who are following the timeline of the curriculum.
All in all, this option is great for students because it allows them to save time and money since you are only paying for the time you studied and wrote your NATED exams with us.
Are NATED Courses Available Online?
Yes, as a distance-learning institution, our courses are conducted online. So, from applying with us, accessing our Telegram study groups, and engaging with tutors, all of this is accomplished online.
How Do Online NATED Courses Ensure Practical Skills Development?
NATED courses have practical features throughout the certificate courses (N4 – N6). They teach you about the industry you will enter after receiving your qualification.
This is to prepare students for the 18-month practical that they have to complete with the NATED N6 Diploma course. This means you must apply to a company with entry positions based on your required job field.
Are There Hybrid Options Combining Online And Offline Learning?
Yes, we offer NATED courses through distance learning. This means that students have both physical and online aspects of the courses they study. Resources such as physical study materials delivered to students, online study groups and tutors.
This creates a hybrid course that allows students to be active in their studies whilst having online aspects that assist them.
What Are The Career Opportunities For NATED Graduates?
Yes, students who have completed their NATED qualifications, including the 18-month practical, can start their careers immediately. This means students can apply for their careers based on their qualifications.
Some job fields require NATED graduates to start with entry-level positions. However, as a benefit, it is easier for them to achieve better positions as time goes on. For example, students with an N6 Diploma in Educare have different options for entry-level positions they can start with.
This is to help them get familiar with the work environment and set them up for better positions in the near future.
Are There Internships Or Placements Available Post NATED Courses?
Yes, companies with an interest in NATED students offer positions that are relevant to their qualifications. NATED graduates have the experience to fulfil most of the job requirements because of their qualifications.
The skills received from NATED have a high demand from employers because they are recognised. This allows you to start your new career without the need for training.
People Also Ask
Your ID document and matric (or equivalent) certificate are the main 2 documents needed for students to apply for NATED courses.
Yes, if you are currently employed, and you have an interest in a NATED, you can do the qualifications part-time. This allows you to switch to your dream career. Completing the NATED course, means you have the skills needed for a job in that specific industry.
The QCTO awards institutions such as Skills Academy 5 years before they have to renew their accreditation. This is because the accreditation bodies monitor the institutions and if they are upholding the standards set by them.
Yes, we include access to study groups for our students to interact with their peers and tutors. This is a benefit for our students and allows them to connect with new people, get support from tutors, and learn new ways to study and understand the work.
Through these qualifications, students open the door they need to achieve their life goals. From better career opportunities suited for them, and further studies such as a different qualification with us.
The dedication to your studies and self-improvement also gives you the confidence to change your life path towards the best you. And for some students, it can help inspire family and friends to do the same and give education a second chance towards their future success.
Author: Kamogelo Mkonto
Editor: Connor Bergsma
Date Published: March 1, 2023
