In short
- Graduate programmes combine paid work, training and mentoring, usually over one to three years.
- Large companies, state-owned companies, banks and government all run programmes, often opening once a year.
- Many have rules about how recently you graduated, your field of study, your age and whether you have worked full-time before.
- Selection often includes online tests, video interviews and assessment centres, so preparation matters.
Finishing a degree or diploma is a huge achievement, and for many South African graduates it is followed by a frustrating question: how do I get my first real job when every advert asks for experience? Graduate programmes exist to solve exactly that problem. They take people with the right qualification and little or no work experience, and develop them through paid work, training and mentoring.
This guide explains what graduate programmes and graduate internships are, who offers them, when and where they are advertised, what the selection process involves and how to prepare a strong application.
What a graduate programme is
A graduate programme is a structured way for an employer to bring in recent graduates and develop them into professionals. Most programmes share a few features:
- Paid work. You are paid a salary or stipend while you work and learn.
- Training and mentoring. You attend training courses and have a mentor or supervisor guiding your development.
- Rotations. Many programmes move you through different teams or business areas over the programme.
- A fixed term. Programmes usually last one to three years.
- A pathway. Many lead to a permanent post, although this is not always guaranteed.
Some programmes are tied to professional registration. Engineering programmes, for example, are often designed to give graduates the supervised experience they need to work towards registration with the Engineering Council of South Africa, and accounting programmes may form part of a training contract towards a professional designation.
Who runs graduate programmes
Large private companies
Banks, insurers, mining and energy companies, manufacturers, retailers, telecoms companies and professional services firms run graduate programmes in fields such as finance, IT, engineering, data, supply chain, marketing and HR. Banks, for example, recruit graduates in accounting, finance, actuarial science, data science and IT; energy and chemicals companies recruit engineers and scientists.
State-owned companies
Eskom, Transnet and other state-owned companies run graduate programmes, especially in engineering and technical fields. Eskom's "Graduate in Training" posts are an example. See our guides to Eskom and Transnet for more detail.
Government and public entities
National and provincial departments, municipalities and public entities run graduate internship programmes, often advertised in the DPSA circular or on their own sites. Some are part of national programmes: for example, public entities such as Rand Water have advertised graduate internships in infrastructure disciplines in partnership with National Treasury's graduate internship programme and municipalities. Government internships are typically fixed-term contracts with a monthly stipend.
When programmes open
Many company graduate programmes recruit once a year, often months before the programme starts. It is common for applications to open during the year before you would start, so that final-year students can apply before they graduate. Government internships are advertised throughout the year, often with short closing dates.
The practical lesson: start looking early. If you are in your final year, check the careers sites of the companies you are interested in from the start of the year, follow their official social media pages, and attend campus career fairs. If you have already graduated, check regularly, because programmes open at different times.
What selection usually involves
Because graduate programmes attract many applicants for few places, the selection process is often longer than for ordinary posts. A typical process looks like this:
- Online application. You complete a profile, upload your CV, academic record and ID, and sometimes answer short motivation questions.
- Screening. Applications are screened against the eligibility rules and minimum academic requirements.
- Online assessments. Many programmes use numerical, verbal and logical reasoning tests, and sometimes personality or situational judgement questionnaires.
- Video or phone interview. Some employers use recorded video interviews in which you answer set questions on camera.
- Assessment centre or panel interview. Shortlisted candidates may attend a day of group exercises, presentations, case studies and interviews.
- Offer and checks. Successful candidates receive offers subject to checks such as qualification verification and criminal record checks.
How to prepare a strong application
Get your documents ready
Have a current CV, a certified copy of your ID if required, your academic record or transcript, and your qualification certificate or proof that you have completed your studies. Keep clear scanned copies in one folder on your phone or computer so you can apply quickly.
Write a graduate CV that shows potential
When you have little work experience, your CV needs to show what you can do in other ways. Include your qualification and key modules, your final-year project or research, vacation work and part-time jobs, tutoring, leadership roles in student organisations, volunteering and relevant skills such as data analysis, programming or specific software. Our first job CV guide shows how to lay this out, and our ATS guide explains how to get through screening software.
Answer motivation questions specifically
Many applications ask why you want to join the programme. Generic answers such as "I am passionate and hardworking" do not stand out. Instead, say what you know about the company's work, which part of it interests you and why, and how your studies or experiences prepared you for it.
Practise assessments
Numerical and verbal reasoning tests reward practice. Work through free practice tests online so that the question formats are familiar, and take the real test somewhere quiet with a stable connection and enough time.
Prepare for group exercises and interviews
At assessment centres, selectors watch how you work with others: whether you listen, contribute clearly and help the group reach a decision. In interviews, prepare examples using the situation, task, action and result structure. Our first interview guide explains it.
Government graduate internships
Government and public-entity internships deserve special mention because they are advertised often and are open to many fields. They are usually fixed-term contracts, sometimes for one year and sometimes longer, with a monthly stipend. Adverts may require that you are unemployed, a South African citizen, under a certain age, and that you have not previously taken part in a similar government internship. Applications usually use a Z83 or the entity's own application system, so read our Z83 guide if it applies.
If you do not get in
Rejection from a graduate programme is common and says little about your ability; there are simply far more applicants than places. Keep applying to several programmes, look for entry-level posts and internships in your field, consider learnerships that build practical skills, and keep building your experience through part-time work or volunteering. Each application you complete makes the next one better.
OnboardingSA lists graduate programmes and internships as they are advertised by employers and government, with links to the official adverts. Use the search on our homepage with words like "graduate" or "internship" to see what is open now.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between a graduate programme and an internship?
The terms overlap. A graduate programme is usually a structured development programme for recent graduates, often with rotations and a strong chance of a permanent post at the end. An internship can be shorter and focused on giving work experience. Government graduate internships, for example, are usually fixed-term contracts with a stipend. Read each advert to see what is offered.
Can I apply if I graduated a few years ago?
It depends on the programme. Many programmes are aimed at people who graduated recently or have little full-time work experience, and the advert usually states the limit. If you are outside the limit, look for entry-level posts in your field instead.
Do graduate programmes pay?
Yes. Company graduate programmes usually pay a salary, and government and public-entity graduate internships usually pay a monthly stipend. The amount varies widely between employers and fields.
Is there a fee to join a graduate programme?
No legitimate graduate programme charges a fee to apply, to be selected, or for training. A request for money is a sign of a scam.
This guide is written by OnboardingSA to help South African job seekers. Rules and forms change, so always follow the official advert and the employer's own instructions. Browse current jobs →