South Africa: Volunteer Business Internships

South Africa Volunteer Business Internships and Work-Experience Placements

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 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 currently include chartered accountancy, marketing and branding, media/PR and international development projects.  

Volunteers working on an accountancy project will join a firm of accountants and work on a variety of tasks, including book keeping, forensic and management accounting, advisory roles including corporate recovery and restructuring, audits, tax assessments and trustee services.

Volunteers working in marketing, media or PR work on marketing strategies, marketing campaigns, branding, sponsorship deals, events, networking, public speaking and writing for the press.

We also offer two specific business placement opportunities including a International Development internship and a Business Enterprise internship.

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!