DEA’s Internships for Students in Pretoria and Cape Town
There is nothing more soul destroying than spending years at university studying hard, getting a degree, and then finding that you cannot get a job. It’s the usual Catch 22: Companies generally employ people with experience rather than those who are newly qualified. But if you are studying, or have a degree in fields related to environmental affairs, there is hope ahead. The Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) is offering internships for graduates who will get paid a R4,500 monthly stipend, and immediately boost their experience over a one-year period of time.
Applications for the 2015 DEA’s internships for students close on December 12, 2014. So if you are an unemployed post graduate, or even under graduate, and you’ve never been employed in an internship programme before, why not give it a try?
About Internship Opportunities from the Department of Environmental Affairs
Internships for students, whose interests fit the fields that relate directly to the DEA, are offered opportunities to enter the internship programme for a one-year (12 month) period of time. Those candidates who are accepted into the programme are obliged to sign a contract, and they must work for the Department for 12 months.
These internship opportunities are in keeping with the vision of the Education, Training and Development Practices Sector Education and Training Authority – the EtdpSETA which facilitates and promotes development and improvement with the education, training and development sector. However, as the DEA’s Environmental Sector Skills Plan for South Africa (published in 2010) points out, the environment sector itself does not have a dedicated SETA, instead, “environment needs to be integrated into all SETAs”.
All the current internship opportunities relate in some way to environmental issues, but there is a reasonably wide range of internships to choose from. They are all open to students and graduates aged between 18 and 35 years, and disabled people are encouraged to apply.
Each internship has its own particular requirement in terms of the qualification required, including specified subjects studied. A full list is available on the Department’s website.
Opportunities Available in Pretoria
There are eight openings in Pretoria, which is where the Department of Environment Affairs’ head office is located. In addition, three further positions are available in other parts of the country, via Pretoria:
1. Chemical and waste management
2. Biodiversity and conservation
3. Climate change and air quality
4. Chief operating office
5. Legal authorizations and compliance inspectorate Chief financial officer
6. Chief financial officer
7. Environmental advisory services
8. Environmental programme. While there is only one post available in Pretoria, there are an additional three posts on offer in Limpopo/Mpumalanga, the Western Cape, and the Free State.
All require a relevant three-year degree or national diploma. Specific subjects for the four environmental programme internships vary.
Opportunities Available in Cape Town
There are 12 openings in Cape Town, all linked to the Ocean & Coast and Environmental Programme:
1. ODDG
2. Supply chain and asset management
3. Human resource management (HRM)
4. Financial management and management accounting
5. Coastal biodiversity conservation
6. Ocean and coastal conservation strategies
7. Oceans research
8. Biodiversity and coastal research
9. Marine biodiversity and coastal research
10. Coastal pollution management
11. Southern oceans and Antarctica support
12. Communication
All of these also require a relevant three-year degree or national diploma.
All applications for these internships must be submitted on the relevant Z83 form. A CV (curriculum vitae), certified copies of certificates received (eg matric and university), any relevant academic records, and of course an identification document, must be included with the application. Note that all applications must be posted to the relevant person in either Pretoria or Cape Town. Addresses and telephone numbers for further enquiries are available on the Department’s website. Applications must be received by 12th December this year, so if the Post Office is still on strike, you should considered using a courier service to ensure there won’t be unnecessary delays.
Successful applicants will be notified within three months of 12th December (in other words by mid-March 2015).
The Department of Environmental Affairs also offers bursaries to fulltime students, however applications for the 2015 academic year closed on September 26th this year.
Details of application are available from the DEA website
Additional details of application for the 2015 internship program for Pretoria and Cape Town students are available on their website.