The City of Cape Town’s 2020 Urban Sustainability Internship Programme (USIP) culminated in a virtual award ceremony on Friday, 29 January 2021, when 52 graduate interns were awarded for hard work and commitment during a very difficult year. The City has offered these graduates new 12-month contracts to ensure they receive the necessary experience they had lost out on as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown.
The USIP is now in its 16th year and 479 interns have participated in the programme since 2005, with 86 of these interns currently working for the City of Cape Town.
‘Almost 70% of graduates who complete their internships find employment afterwards, with about 20% being permanently placed at the City. These figures are a testament to the quality work, experience and skill set the programme provides. We are very proud of this group of graduates for their commitment and resilience throughout one of the hardest years we have ever faced. To excel and continue to improve on one’s skills and capabilities under such difficult circumstances is truly impressive. I am thrilled that we are able to provide these graduates with jobs and believe they will bring fresh insights and make contributions that will assist us in becoming a more efficient and resilient administration,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Corporate Services, Councillor Sharon Cottle
The City’s Corporate Services Directorate is funding the interns’ stipends and capacity-building training programme while the programme itself is administered by the City’s Environmental Management Department.
The majority of these interns are placed within the scarce skills categories such as economics; engineering; environment; heritage; renewable energy; urban design; landscaping; planning; surveying and architecture.
‘These interns will have access to and learn from some of the best professionals in our country and I encourage them to make the most of this opportunity to grow their skill sets and discover their strengths,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Marian Nieuwoudt.
Each intern will be placed with a specific manager who mentors them and they are assigned specific tasks to ensure job-related training.
Over the past 16 years, the City of Cape Town has built up an excellent reputation among the private sector for the calibre of interns who participate in the USIP.
The following interns received awards at the annual award ceremony last week:
| Best Achievement overall
1. Andrea Kim Schnetler (from Diep River) 2. Nadine Vaarland (from Gardens) 3. Elena Piller (from Gardens) 4. Mojalefa Makitle (from Goodwood) 5. Kabelo Williams (from Gugulethu) |
Outstanding Development
- Deidre Goeieman (from Parow Valley)
- Sandisiwe Tshongweni (from Gugulethu)
Most Popular Intern
- Charlton Gary Brandt (from Mitchells Plain)
Interns are recruited through advertisements on the City’s website and in newspapers, as well as at universities. There will be a new intake for the 2022/23 financial year, and the advertisement should be placed by mid-September 2021 if all goes as planned.
The City receives on average about 4 000 applications each year. An initial assessment is undertaken to select the top 200 potential candidates for interviews, and 50 successful candidates are then offered an internship with the City. Visit the City Website www.capetown.gov.za in August 2021 to apply.