Volunteer Business and International Development Projects, gain work-experience overseas on an internship placement in South Africa

Business Internships and International Development work experience overseas in South Africa

For volunteers who are on a gap-year and looking to be accepted onto a business course at university, or for those looking for employment in a particular sector of the business world, a voluntary Business Internship in South Africa offers access to work experience that will make you stand out from the crowd.

Cape Town is a buzzing city in which to base your business work experience with Projects Abroad. With plenty of English language media, a very liberal outlook, modern reputation and up to date technology, South Africa is the perfect place to gain relevant business skills to boost your CV, test out a possible future profession, and make you more employable back home.

Cape Town represents the great dichotomy of South Africa - a country with enormous disparity in wealth, where the stock exchange ranks in the top twenty in the world, where there exists a well-developed infrastructure and legal system, where there are world class businesses and where the currency is the most actively traded emerging market currency, and yet where crime is rife, HIV/AIDS remains a problem, and where corruption is common.

Outside of Cape Town and the three other major industrial centres, development is stunted and poverty widespread. In this unique situation, we are able to offer volunteers the chance to participate on a work experience internship with organisations that compete in the international arena, while others can gain experience at an organisation that does worthwhile and necessary development work - all in one city.

All Business and International Development Internship volunteers live with host families in Cape Town, travelling to work each day on public transport.

Volunteering on a Business Internship Placement in South Africa

We organise work experience programmes in a number of business sectors. These include areas such as marketing, PR, advertising and new media, and you could find yourself working with anything from an international brand consultancy and media firm, to a medium sized publishing house or educational company.

As a volunteer working on one of our Business internships, the actual work you do will depend on the placement and will often be very varied. You could find yourself gaining exposure to board meetings to observe business development plans, attending client meetings, working on set briefs, putting together portfolios, helping with events and much much more. As with all internships, you should be prepared to undertake some tasks such as proof-reading, filing, and answering the phone, but provided you show enthusiasm and willingness, your English speaking colleagues will be happy to give you insight into their area of expertise, and you'll go home with a set of new skills, and a good understanding of how the business world works.

During the placement, volunteers are expected to be punctual, professional and hard-working. You will be required to work an average of 35 hours per week, usually Monday-Friday. When you arrive at work on your first day, you will be assigned a supervisor who will be able to advise and support you during your placement, and of course our Projects Abroad staff are always available to support you throughout your placement.

Developing placements in other business areas is always possible - just ask!

Volunteering on an International Development Internship Placement in South Africa

International development is a notoriously difficult area to break into, so volunteering on one of our International Development internships in Cape Town could give you experience to set your CV apart from the pack. Cape Town may well be one of the strongest and most developed cities in Africa, but outside of the major industrial centres, South Africa still suffers from a severe lack of development, with the vast majority of black Africans living below the poverty line. Volunteering on an International Development internship here is a great way to help redress this balance.

Placements are designed for current students and recent graduates of human geography or development studies, and provide you with the perfect opportunity to see how your theoretical knowledge translates into running a charity on the ground.

Volunteers could find themselves working for one of a wide variety of non-governmental organisations, gaining experience of fundraising, project management, rural development, volunteer management, human resources, or general management. You'll usually be given the opportunity to sit in on executive and lower level meetings, proof-read and write grant applications and other fundraising materials, help to coordinate events such as training days for local people benefiting from micro-financing schemes, learn methods of coordinating or recruiting local volunteers and much more.

As with all internships, you should show willing to participate in any task given to you, whether it is as glamorous as organising a campaigning rally, or making yourself available to spend a day manning reception. By working within all areas of the organisation, you'll gain a well-rounded view of how international development charities work and the unique set of challenges they face in achieving their goals.

Volunteers for these internships are welcome from all areas of interest, so if you have any experience or a special interest in charities that deal with education, rural development, health, human rights or any other subject, please just let us know and we'll do our best to find something to suit your skills.

During the placement, volunteers are expected to be punctual, professional and hard-working. You will be required to work an average of 35 hours per week, usually Monday-Friday. When you arrive at work on your first day, you will be assigned a supervisor who will be able to advise and support you during your placement, and of course our Projects Abroad staff are always available to support you throughout your placement. Always remember that the more questions you ask, and the more you show you are willing to learn, the more time your colleagues will spend with you. If you complete every task to the best of your ability, you are certain to go home having gained valuable practical experience for your CV, whilst also having supported a worthwhile cause.