Are you a recent graduate looking for real-world experience in South Africa? The merSETA Graduate Internships 2026 offer a great chance to build skills in key industries. This 24-month program targets unemployed youth and provides paid positions across the country.
What is the merSETA Internship Programme?
merSETA is a public entity that focuses on skills development in areas like manufacturing, engineering, automotive, and plastics. The internship program gives graduates hands-on work experience in professional fields. It runs for 24 months at the head office in Parktown, Johannesburg, and regional offices nationwide.
Key Details of the Program
The program is open to South African unemployed graduates aged 18 to 35. You must not have done an internship before. Positions require some work experience, but no prior internships. The closing date for applications is 20 April 2026.
Monthly Stipend Amounts
Interns receive a stipend based on their qualification level:
- National Diploma (NQF Level 6): R10,000 per month
- Bachelor’s or BTech (NQF Level 7): R11,000 per month
- Honours or Postgraduate (NQF Level 8+): R12,000 per month
These amounts help cover living costs while you gain experience.
Available Positions at Head Office (Parktown, Johannesburg)
Several fields have openings:
- Learning Programmes & QA (4 posts)
- Grants Management (4 posts)
- Legal & Compliance (1 post)
- Human Resources (2 posts)
- Finance (3 posts)
- Assets Management (2 posts)
- Travel & Tourism (1 post)
- Marketing & Communications (2 posts)
- Project Management (1 post)
- Monitoring & Reporting (1 post)
- Sector Skills Planning & Research (3 posts)
- Quality Management (1 post)
- ICT (Networks, Development, Library/Information) (3 posts)
- Supply Chain Management (2 posts)
- Company Secretariat (2 posts)
Positions in Regional Offices
Regional offices across provinces like Gauteng, KZN, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Free State, and Northern Cape need Client Services interns. There are 16 posts total, with 2 per region.
Minimum Requirements to Apply
To qualify, you need to:
- Be a South African citizen
- Be between 18 and 35 years old
- Be currently unemployed
- Have no past internship experience
- Hold a National Diploma, Degree, or Honours in a relevant field
Required Fields of Study
Matching qualifications include:
- Business Administration or Management
- Finance or Accounting
- Human Resources or Labour Relations
- Law or Legal Studies
- Marketing, Communications, or Journalism
- Project Management
- ICT, Computer Science, or Information Science
- Supply Chain or Logistics
- Social Sciences or Skills Development
- Engineering or Quality Systems
How to Submit Your Application
Apply in these ways:
- Email to [email protected] or [email protected]
- WhatsApp to 033 880 0263
- Online via PNet (search Rapid Recruiting) or LinkedIn (search Rapid Recruiting listing)
This is a fixed-term 24-month internship. If you hear nothing within 2 weeks after closing, your application did not succeed. merSETA follows Employment Equity and welcomes applications from people with disabilities.
Benefits of Joining merSETA
The program offers workplace training in multiple sectors, a steady stipend, and exposure to national skills projects. It opens doors to careers in public and private sectors.
SHARE THIS POST WITH OTHERS