X3197 Graduate Internship Programme for 2025 to 2027 at The Department of Labour
1. Intern: Occupational Health and Safety (OHS)
Location: Various provincial offices (Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, Western Cape)
Stipend: R7,860.50 / month (or approx)
Duration: 24 months
Requirements:
- Three-year tertiary qualification (National Diploma NQF6 or Bachelor’s Degree NQF7) in one of: Environmental Health; Environmental Science; Mechanical Engineering; Mechatronics Engineering; Electrical Engineering; Chemical Engineering; Chemistry; Construction-related Engineering; Occupational Health/Hygiene; Analytical Chemistry; Explosives Management; Explosives Engineering.
- South African citizen, unemployed, not previously in an internship programme.
- Driver’s licence may be required (in some adverts)
Duties:
- Assist in conducting inspections aimed at ensuring compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993 and associated regulations and incorporated standards.
- Provide administrative support to inspectors.
- Assist in investigating incidents and complaints reported under OHS legislation.
- Support inspectors during enforcement activities.
- Assist in compiling and consolidating reports emanating from inspections.
Ideal Candidate:
A motivated graduate with technical/engineering or environmental health background, comfortable with fieldwork and regulatory enforcement context, good administrative skills, ready to relocate to provincial office if required.
2. Intern: Basic Conditions of Employment (BCEA)
Location: Multiple provincial offices (see list)
Stipend: R7,860.50/month approx.
Duration: 24 months
Requirements:
- Three-year tertiary qualification (National Diploma NQF6 or Bachelor’s Degree NQF7) in Labour Relations; BCom in Law; LLB; Labour Law; Commercial Law.
- South African citizen, unemployed, and not previously in such internship programme.
- Valid driver’s licence may be advantageous.
Duties:
- Assist in monitoring compliance by conducting inspections to determine the level of compliance with the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA), Sectoral Determinations and the National Minimum Wage Act (NMWA).
- Assist in investigations on reported complaints pertaining to contraventions of the BCEA, Sectoral Determinations and NMWA.
- Provide administrative support to inspectors.
Ideal Candidate:
Someone with legal, labour relations or commercial law background, strong interest in workers’ rights, inspection/regulation environment, ability to manage paperwork and field tasks.
3. Intern: Employment Equity (EEA)
Location: Various provincial offices (Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, Western Cape)
Stipend: R7,860.50/month approx.
Duration: 24 months
Requirements:
- Three-year tertiary qualification (National Diploma NQF6 or Bachelor’s Degree NQF7) in BCom in Law; LLB; Labour Law; or related legal qualification.
- South African citizen, unemployed, and not previously in an internship.
- Preferably a valid driver’s licence (if field tasks apply).
Duties:
- Assist in monitoring compliance by helping with inspections to determine compliance with the Employment Equity Act and its regulations.
- Assist in executing investigations on reported complaints pertaining to contraventions of the EEA.
- Provide administrative support to inspectors.
Ideal Candidate:
A graduate with legal/labour law education, interest in diversity & inclusion in the workplace, strong analytical and administrative skills, ready to support equity-monitoring mechanisms.
4. Intern: Employer Audit Service (EAS)
Location: Multiple provincial offices (Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, Western Cape)
Stipend: R7,860.50/month approx.
Duration: 24 months
Requirements:
- Three-year tertiary qualification (National Diploma NQF6 or Bachelor’s Degree NQF7) in: BCom Law; LLB; Labour Law; BCom Accounting; Internal Audit; Auditing; Financial Accounting; Cost & Management Accounting; Financial Information System; BCompt Accounting; Financial Management. Department of Labour+1
- South African citizen, unemployed, and not previously in internship.
Duties:
- Assist in monitoring compliance by aiding inspections to determine compliance with legislation such as the Unemployment Insurance Act (UIA), Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA) and the Unemployment Insurance Contributions Act (UICA).
- Assist in executing investigations on reported complaints pertaining to contraventions of UIA, COIDA and UICA.
- Provide administrative support to inspectors.
Ideal Candidate:
A graduate with accounting, auditing, financial management or labour law background, with interest in compliance, inspection and enforcement in the labour/regulatory space, good organisational and analytical skills.
5. Intern: Office of the COO – PME (Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation)
Location: Head Office, Pretoria Department of Labour
Stipend: R7,860.50/month approx.
Duration: 24 months
Requirements:
- National Diploma (NQF6) or Bachelor’s Degree (NQF7) in Public Administration & Management; Project Management; Statistics.
- Unemployed South African citizen who has not previously participated in an internship.
Duties:
- Provide technical advice and monitor alignment of provincial strategic plans. Department of Labour
- Assist with planning, monitoring and evaluation activities.
- Engage with governance structures and manage the compilation of performance information reports.
- Assist with implementing service delivery improvement strategies.
Ideal Candidate:
Someone with interest in public governance, strategy, performance measurement, data/statistics, eager to support the monitoring & evaluation functions of a public institution.
6. Intern: Office of the COO – Operations
Location: Head Office, Pretoria Department of Labour
Stipend: R7,860.50/month approx. Department of Labour
Duration: 24 months
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s Degree / B-Tech in Operations Management; Business Administration; Public Administration & Management. Department of Labour
- South African citizen, unemployed, never previously in internship.
Duties:
- Support governance of service delivery improvement programmes (SDIP), implementation of Batho Pele principles, service standards. Department of Labour
- Analyse and manage complaints management systems.
Ideal Candidate:
A graduate interested in operations, service delivery in the public sector, with strong analytical, organisational and process improvement skills.
7. Intern: Office of the Inspector-General (IES)
Location: Head Office, Pretoria Department of Labour
Stipend: R7,680.50/month approx. Department of Labour
Duration: 24 months
Requirements:
- National Diploma (NQF6) or Bachelor’s Degree (NQF7) in Public Finance & Administration; Business Administration; Business Management; Local Governance & Management; Financial Management; Administrative Management. Department of Labour
- South African citizen, unemployed, not previously in internship.
Duties:
- Assist with project coordination in the Office of the Inspector-General. Department of Labour
- Provide administrative support and secretariat services for various committees.
- Support budget planning for the branch and procurement of goods and services.
Ideal Candidate:
Graduate with interest in oversight, governance, administration and financial management, who can support committee work and investigations.
8. Intern: Office of the DDG – Corporate Services
Location: Head Office, Pretoria Department of Labour
Stipend: R7,860.50/month approx. Department of Labour
Duration: 24 months
Requirements:
- National Diploma (NQF6) or Bachelor’s Degree (NQF7) in Public Administration; Business Administration; Office Management & Technology; Management Assistant; Business Management. Department of Labour
- South African citizen, unemployed, never in internship.
Duties:
- Assist in rendering administration support services to the Office of the DDG. Department of Labour
- Assist with controlling the movement of documents and files in the office.
- Provide Supply Chain Management support for the Office of the DDG.
- Support budget planning for the Office.
Ideal Candidate:
A graduate in business/office administration keen to support executive-level administrative tasks, document flow, SCM and budget coordination.
9. Intern: Employee Relations
Location: Head Office and various Provincial Offices (Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, Free State, Northern Cape) Department of Labour
Stipend: R7,860.50/month approx. Department of Labour
Duration: 24 months
Requirements:
- LLB / National Diploma (NQF6) or Bachelor’s Degree (NQF7) in Labour Relations; Labour Law. Department of Labour
- South African citizen, unemployed, and not previously in an internship.
Duties:
- Assist with opening misconduct and grievance files. Department of Labour
- Compile monthly and quarterly statistics.
- Assist in sourcing case law.
- Analyse cases for merits of success.
- Perform administrative duties in employee relations unit.
Ideal Candidate:
Graduate in labour law or labour relations, with interest in handling grievances, analysing case law, statistics and employee relations processes.
10. Intern: Training & Performance Management
Location: Head Office and numerous Provincial Offices Department of Labour
Stipend: R7,860.55/month approx. Department of Labour
Duration: 24 months
Requirements:
- National Diploma (NQF6) or Bachelor’s Degree (NQF7) in Human Resource Management; Human Resource Development; Management of Training; Public Management. Department of Labour
- South African citizen, unemployed, and not previously in internship.
Duties:
- Facilitate performance agreement assessments. Department of Labour
- Capture and verify performance agreements on PERSAL (HR system).
- Provide secretariat and logistical support for PMDS committee meetings.
- Assist in procurement support for the unit.
- Coordinate training programmes and bursary administration.
- Compile training databases, workplace skills plans (WSP), quarterly/annual training reports (QMR, ATR).
Ideal Candidate:
Graduate with HR/training background, keen on performance management processes, training coordination and HR systems, good administrative and communication skills.
11. Intern: Human Resource Operations (HRO)
Location: Head Office and provincial offices (Gauteng, KwaZulu‐Natal, Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, Free State, Northern Cape) Department of Labour
Stipend: R7,860.50/month approx. Department of Labour
Duration: 24 months
Requirements:
- National Diploma (NQF6) or Bachelor’s Degree (NQF7) in Human Resource Management. Department of Labour
- South African citizen, unemployed, not previously in an internship.
Duties:
- Provide support for HR functions including Recruitment & Selection and Service Benefits. Department of Labour
Ideal Candidate:
Graduate with HR management qualification, interested in end-to-end HR operations in a public sector context, strong in recruitment & benefits admin.
12. Intern: Organisational Development (OD)
Location: Head Office, Pretoria Department of Labour
Stipend: R7,860.50/month approx. Department of Labour
Duration: 24 months
Requirements:
- National Diploma (NQF6) or Bachelor’s Degree (NQF7) in Management Services; Industrial Engineering; Operations Management; Production Management; Industrial & Organisational Psychology; HR Management; Work Study. Department of Labour
- South African citizen, unemployed, never in internship.
Duties:
- Assist in organisational design processes. Department of Labour
- Support activities to improve organisational structure.
- Assist with development and review of job profiles, job evaluation processes, and change management/business process improvement.
Ideal Candidate:
Graduate with background in I/O psychology, HR, operations or industrial engineering, keen to work on structural, process-improvement and change management within a public service environment.
13. Intern: Employee Health & Wellness Programme (EHWP)
Location: Head Office, Pretoria Department of Labour
Stipend: R7,860.50/month approx. Department of Labour
Duration: 24 months
Requirements:
- Qualification similar to HR/training/health & wellness – as per the description. (Specific qualification not always detailed)
- South African citizen, unemployed, and never participated in an internship.
Duties:
- Assist in coordination and implementation of disability mainstreaming. Department of Labour
- Coordinate various health & wellness activities, events and programmes focusing on youth, disability, employee wellbeing.
Ideal Candidate:
A graduate in psychology, human resource development, health promotion or related field, interested in employee wellness, disability inclusion and programme coordination.
14. Intern: Policy, Research & Monitoring (PRM)
Location: Head Office, Pretoria Department of Labour
Stipend: R7,860.50/month approx. Department of Labour
Duration: 24 months
Requirements:
- National Diploma (NQF6) or Bachelor’s Degree (NQF7) in Human Resource Management or similar. Department of Labour
- South African citizen, unemployed, not previously in internship.
Duties:
- Assist in the development and implementation of employment equity, HR planning & policies. Department of Labour
- Assist in HR data analytics and monitoring.
Ideal Candidate:
Graduate interested in research, policy development, data/analytics and monitoring within a public HR or labour context, good with statistics, data interpretation and policy formulation.
