Find an internship locally or internationally. The top industries for internships or job hunts for South African youth. Finding practical work experience is usually a qualification component for students while internships are often the only way for some graduates to enter the labour market.
Find an Internship and Take Your Career to the Next Level
Finished school, university, college or any other type of training?
Very few graduates are able to attract potential employers immediately after completing their studies. Youth must find opportunities that allow employers to notice them. Fortunately, there are lots of different solutions you can try until you end up where you want.
How South African Youth Can Find Internships
Find a Local Internship: Industries Offering the most Internships
In South Africa, you can find internships in a wide range of industries.
However, some of the industries that offer the most internships include:
- Finance and accounting: Many banks, financial institutions, and accounting firms offer internships to students pursuing finance and accounting degrees.
- Information Technology: The IT industry is rapidly growing in South Africa, and many companies offer internships to students pursuing degrees in computer science, software development, and related fields.
- Marketing and advertising: Marketing and advertising agencies offer internships to students pursuing degrees in marketing, advertising, and public relations.
- Engineering: Engineering firms and companies in various industries, such as construction and manufacturing, offer internships to students pursuing degrees in engineering.
- Government: The South African government offers internships in various departments and ministries.
Finding internships in South Africa can be done through various channels
Try online job boards, company websites, career centers at universities, and personal networking.
Here are some tips on how to find and apply for internships in South Africa:
- Use online job boards: Websites such as Indeed, CareerJunction, and LinkedIn often advertise internships available in South Africa. These websites allow you to search for internships based on keywords, location, and other relevant criteria.
- Check company websites: Many companies advertise their internships on their own websites. Take a look at the websites of companies you are interested in and check if they have any internships available.
- Visit career centres: Most universities have career centres that provide resources and guidance for students seeking internships. These centres often have listings of available internships and can help you with your application.
- Utilize personal networking: Reach out to family, friends, and acquaintances to see if they know of any internships available. Attend career fairs, industry events, and networking events to connect with professionals in your field of interest.
Find International Internships
Broaden Your Search To Find Internships Now
When it comes to applying for international internships, there are several ways to do so:
- Look for international internship programs: Many universities and organizations offer international internships. Research these programs and apply for those that are relevant to your field of study or career goals.
- Check company websites: Similar to finding internships in South Africa, many companies advertise their international internship opportunities on their websites. Check the company websites of organizations you are interested in and see if they have any international internships available.
- Use online job boards: International job boards such as Internships.com, GoAbroad.com, and AIESEC often list international internship opportunities. Search these websites for opportunities that match your interests.
- Reach out to international organizations: If you have a specific organization in mind, reach out to them directly to inquire about their international internships. This can be done through email, social media, or phone.
Worldwide Industries To Find Internships
In terms of worldwide industries that offer the most internships, this can vary depending on the country and region. However, some of the industries that are known to offer a high number of internships worldwide include:
- Technology: Technology companies, such as Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, offer numerous internships in various fields, such as software engineering, data science, and product management.
- Finance: Banks, financial institutions, and accounting firms worldwide offer internships to students pursuing finance and accounting degrees.
- Consulting: Consulting firms, such as McKinsey & Company, Bain & Company, and Boston Consulting Group, offer internships to students pursuing degrees in business, economics, and related fields.
- Healthcare: Healthcare organizations and hospitals offer internships to students pursuing degrees in healthcare, medicine, and related fields.
- Non-profit: Non-profit organizations, such as the United Nations, offer internships in various fields, such as international development, humanitarian aid, and sustainability.
Overall, finding internships and applying for them means doing the research.Focal and international internship opportunities require research, networking, and persistence. By utilizing these strategies, you can find exciting internships aligned to your career goals.
Applying for Jobs or Internships
Apply for jobs but don’t miss out on Internships. Sometimes internships can help you access organisations that are difficult to get hired at. Obtaining an internship will allow you to understand their processes and organisational culture so that it’s easier for you to apply for a vacancy with them when the right one arises.
Internships provide immediate job training and groom you for further career development by exposing you to a real workplace environment. In this way, you can test if a career in that field or organization is actually what you want. The employer is usually under no obligation to hire you at the end of the program and neither are you committed to staying.
Internships are effective ways of winning trust and asking colleagues to recommend you for jobs either at the same company or elsewhere.
- Indeed: https://za.indeed.com/ Indeed lists internships, entry-level positions, and full-time jobs. It allows you to filter by location, industry, and job type.
- Pnet: https://www.pnet.co.za/ Pnet lists internships, entry-level positions, and full-time jobs in various industries. Search for opportunities by industry, location, and job type.
- Careerjet: https://www.careerjet.co.za/ Careerjet lists job openings from various websites, including internships. Search by keyword and location.
- GradConnection: https://za.gradconnection.com/ GradConnection specializes in graduate jobs and internships. It lists opportunities in various industries and allows you to filter by location and industry.
- Careers24: https://www.careers24.com/ Careers24 lists internships, entry-level positions, and full-time jobs in various industries. Search for opportunities by industry, location, and job type.
- Youth Village: https://www.youthvillage.co.za/ Youth Village provides information for young people in South Africa, including job and internship opportunities. It lists internships in various industries and allows users to filter by location.
- SA Learnerships: https://www.salearnershipsblog.com/ SA Learnerships lists internship and learnership opportunities in various industries, including engineering, finance, and healthcare.
- Intern SA: https://www.internsa.org/ Intern SA lists internships in various industries, including marketing, finance, and technology. Search for opportunities by location and industry.
- DreamInternship: https://dreaminternship.co.za/ DreamInternship specializes in internships for students and graduates. It lists opportunities in various industries and allows you to search by location.
- GoAbroad: https://www.goabroad.com/intern-abroad/search/south-africa/internships-abroad-1 GoAbroad lists internships and other international opportunities for students and graduates. It lists internships in various industries in South Africa and allows you to search by location and industry.
10 websites to find internships in South Africa
Get an Internship & Get Experience
It’s a struggle to find work, especially if you have no experience.
If you haven’t been able to land a job because of a lack of experience, look out for internship adverts. Internships allow you to get workplace experience, start building a network, and increase your opportunity of getting a job.
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Write Your Internship Cover Letter
Use and adapt these guidelines to suit your application.
