City selects 45 graduates for on-the-job training
05 February 2023
Up to 45 graduates have started their 12-month internship with the City of Cape Town on 1 February 2023 as part of the administration’s Urban Sustainability Internship Programme (USIP). Read more below:
‘The USIP is now in its 18th year and I’m elated to say that 513 interns have participated in the programme to date, with 84 of them now working permanently for the City. The first of February was a big day for our new group of interns. They have been placed at different City departments where they will have access to and learn from some of the best professionals in our country. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I urge these young graduates to make use of every minute to learn and gain experience,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Corporate Services, Alderman Theresa Uys.
The City is funding the interns’ stipends, capacity-building training programme, recruitment and induction. The majority of the interns will be placed within the scarce skills categories such as economics, planning, environment, renewable energy, resilience, urban design, landscaping, surveying and architecture.
‘It’s important to promote the scarce skills study fields that are in demand. Finding employment is a challenge in the current economic climate and gaining experience in scarce skills will make it significantly easier for the interns once they have completed their internship with the City. It’s also a great return on investment for the City which needs their skills and youthful enthusiasm within our ranks where they can assist us in becoming a more efficient and resilient administration,’ said Alderman Uys.
Each intern is placed with a specific manager who manages, mentors, guides and assists them.
‘The interns may be highly qualified in a specific field, but are typically fresh out of university and often lack practical workplace skills and experience. The interns are assigned specific tasks to ensure job-related training and we have, over the past 18 years, built up an excellent reputation. In fact, companies and organisations consistently confirm how impressed they are with those interns who have completed the internship programme with us,’ said Alderman Uys.
Interns are recruited through advertisements on the City’s website and in newspapers, as well as at universities. The City receives between 1 500 and 4 500 applications each year. An initial assessment is undertaken to select the top 200 potential candidates for interviews, and the successful candidates are then offered an internship with the City.
‘Almost 70% of those who complete their internships find employment afterwards, with about 25% being permanently placed at the City. These figures are testimony of the quality of our internship programme. Most of us remember our very first job, and sometimes our first day working for our own salary. We remember the pride and independence, and immense freedom that comes with being able to earn your own way. The internship provides learners with a quality work experience where they have access to some of the best professionals in this country. The skillset that they develop during this period is a solid foundation for their future careers,’ said Alderman Uys.
At the end of the 12-month programme, all interns and some of the new intake of interns attend an award ceremony where the outstanding interns are recognised.
‘I’m looking forward to see how these young people develop and establish themselves in their new roles and functions. The City is proud to invest in the future of Cape Town’s young graduates, and I wish all of you the best for the 12 months ahead,’ said Alderman Uys.
Caption: Alderman Theresa Uys, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Corporate Services, and Nonzuzo Ntubane, the City’s Manager: Training and Development, and the 45 new graduates who were selected for the City’s Urban Sustainability Internship Programme of 2023.
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
