This study is an investigation into the training by the unemployed and employed in the South African labour market prior to the implementation of the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS) in 2001. The study uses the Mesebetsi Labour Force Survey 1999-2000 to conduct the investigation. This investigation was prompted by the pervasive nature of unemployment in the labour market. This research will set the benchmark for future research that aims to establish the impact of the NSDS on the labour market through the use of household surveys. However. the fact that recent household datasets do not contain as rich information on training will complicate analysis that aims to compare findings and such a task may require a second round of the Mesebetsi Survey. Four probit models are developed to determine the probabilities of training for the economically active population as a whole. the unemployed and the employed respectively. Both the third and fourth probits determine the probability of training for the employed. However. the difference between the fourth model and the others is the fact that it determines the probability of employer funded training while the other three pro bits determine the probabilities of training regardless of the source of funding.