If you suffer from the modern affliction of being perpetually short of cash and your job is unlikely to deliver a massive raise or huge promotion any time soon, consider doing a part-time course that will set you up with a way to earn some extra income. Who knows, it could grow into a full-time career if you find that’s where your passion lies.
We spoke to five providers of short certifications that, when complete, make it possible for you to start earning extra money right away.
Mediation Instead of getting involved in drawn-out legal battles that cost a fortune, many people are turning to mediators to help them resolve their conflicts. Mediators can deal with disputes ranging from divorces to civil disputes. While going through mediation is a voluntary process, the courts will sometimes recommend that a dispute is mediated before it comes before a magistrate.
Where can I do the course?
You can visit Social Justice or check out their Facebook page.
Do I need any special skills or prior qualifications?
You need at least a matric certificate. And if you do not have a qualification in law or psychology, you will have to do two 12-hour modules to learn what you need to know in these areas.
How much does certification cost?
The family mediation course costs around R9 500. The law and psychology modules cost R2 200 each. Social Justice also offers qualifying individuals the chance to study for an initial deposit of R1 450, and the rest of the fee paid back at R100 per month.
How long is the course?
It is a 40 hour course that is most often run over one full working week, but can be run over weekends, depending on demand. To obtain the full certification, you will also need to carry out three supervised mediation sessions and attend talks or workshops to earn eight continued professional development (CPD) points, and carry out three pro bono mediation sessions a year.
What are the set-up costs?
Once you have your certification, the only costs are running your small business. You can run it out of your home, if you are willing to resolve disputes in your personal space, or rent a small office. Your ongoing costs will be stationery, connectivity and marketing. Some churches or community centres also offer spaces.
How much can I charge?
A court-annexed mediator (one that is recommended in a court dispute) can charge R400 an hour. Private mediators, approached directly by clients before going to court can charge up to R1 000 per hour.
Massage If you have “good hands” and a passion for healing, massage can be a wonderful vocation. There are a wide variety of massage courses on the market and a number of different massage disciplines, but we recommend that you go to a South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) accredited school. This will ensure that you are taught using recognised techniques, to reduce the risk of causing any harm.
Where can I do the course?
Follow this link to find out more about massage courses.
Do I need any special skills or prior qualifications?
No. It is helpful if you are proficient in English since that is the language that most courses are offered in and there are theoretical components as well as practical. Obviously a passion for health and healing is important.
How much does certification cost?
A foundation course in Swedish massage costs R3 850. This includes health and safety, how to market ethically and how to provide good customer service, as well as the techniques. Of course, you can build on to your certification with other massage styles, ranging in price from R1 200 to R4 600.
How long is the course?
You can complete five one-day sessions over five weeks or weekends, and you also have to write your assignments, and carry out 25 hours of free massage for your portfolio of evidence.
What are the set-up costs?
All you need is a massage bed, preferably portable, which can cost from R1 700 to R4 000, and some good massage oil. And you’ll be forever on the lookout for special offers on towels – you probably need about six to start. Then, you can visit people’s houses, work from home or hire a room.
How much can I charge?
You can charge anywhere from R400 an hour to R650 an hour, depending on whether you are making house calls and how appealing your massage studio is.
Landscape designIf you have green fingers and a flair for creating beautiful outdoor spaces, then you could complete a landscape design course and start selling your skills in your spare time. The best part is that you can consult as a landscape designer and then hand over to a gardening team so that you don’t have to do the heavy lifting.
Where can I do the course?
You can complete a landscape design course at Lifestyle College.
Do I need any special skills or prior qualifications?
A matric certificate if you are younger than 23, and ideally a love for gardening, plants and the outdoors.
How much does certification cost?
R2 700
How long is the course?
Three full Saturdays.
What are the set-up costs?
You need very little other than materials to present the design on.
How much can I charge?
Around R300 per hour, and the average design with consultation and creation takes around 10 hours.
Cake and cupcake icing There’s big business in quality birthday cakes and wedding cakes, but the secret isn’t in the cake, it’s in the icing. If you’d like to learn to whip up some butter cream, spread fondant or create gel paste flowers, then do a cake icing course to extend your skills in the kitchen.
Where can I do the course?
Visit Baked Boutique to find out more about cake icing courses.
Do I need any special skills or prior qualifications?
No, you don’t even have to know how to bake! You can buy a sponge at your local supermarket and get to work icing that. But obviously, proficiency in the kitchen and a flair for the artistic helps.
How much does certification cost?
A butter icing course costs R2 200. Subsequent courses, which include working with fondant and gel pastes cost in that range as well. The courses include your tools, but don’t include the icing itself – you will be given a recipe to make sure that you know how to get the consistency just right.
How long is the course?
There are four modules of two hours each, but often two modules are run back to back on one Saturday.
What are the set-up costs?
You need kitchen space, icing ingredients and icing tools, which are provided by the course. Other than that, there are very few start-up costs.
How much can I charge?
The cost of confectionary varies considerably depending on the kind of cake, the event, and the complexity of the icing. The course will give you guidelines about how to charge.
Yoga instructorBeing an instructor gives you the opportunity to pursue your interest in yoga, while making a contribution to the wellbeing of other people. Yoga instruction is a great career add-on because most of the people who want to be taught have full-time jobs themselves, so it’s easy to fit teaching into your schedule.
Where can I do the course?
Do I need any special skills or prior qualifications?
You’ll need two years of experience in some kind of yoga practice, or a letter of recommendation from your yoga teacher.
How much does certification cost?
Courses range between R14 000 and R24 000.
How long is the course?
It’s 200 hours over four to five months – usually a Friday night from 5pm to 9pm and a Saturday from 12pm to 6pm. Some studios run the courses over weekends.
What are the set-up costs?
If you are going to be teaching in someone else’s studio, there are no costs involved. You can also teach from your home, if you have a suitable space, or visit other people’s houses for private classes.
How much can I charge?
If you teach at a gym, your membership is usually covered and you’ll earn around R200 a class. Studios pay around R250 to R300 for entry level teachers. And you can charge around R300 to R350 for private lessons, and obviously that money is all yours.
Spread your wingsIf you are frustrated with your day job, there are many options in very different fields of study for people who would like a change or to earn some extra income. If none of these options is right for you, think about your skills and your interests and start researching how you could put them to practical – and hopefully lucrative – use.
