He has more than 20 years experience as a labour relations practitioner, which includes being a labour inspector at the Department of Labour (1994-1998), acting as a labour relations practitioner for employers (since 1998) and acting as regional chairperson of a trade union (SAPTU; 2002-2004). Bennie started his academic career in 2001 at the then Potchefstroom University for Higher Christian Education, where he completed master’s degree in industrial sociology, while lecturing in labour relations. He successfully completed his PhD at the Tilburg University, the Netherlands, in 2007.