Department Of Environmental Affairs Internships

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Department Of Environmental Affairs Internships

Department Of Environmental Affairs Internships are advertised through print media/ national newspapers and on this website (on this page) during the third quarter of the year, ie. October/November. The departmental recruitment and selection processes apply. DEA is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. It is our intention to promote representivity (race, gender and disability). The candidature of persons with disabilities will receive preference for the Internship Programme. Candidates with disabilities are always encouraged to apply.
 

Purpose and Objectives

Purpose

The department offers internships to previously disadvantage South African students; the purpose of the programmes is to establish an effective system for continuous development of skilled and experienced candidates for future appointments and mobility in both the public and private sector.

Overview

The Department of Environmental Affairs’ (DEA) programme seeks to achieve the following objectives:

  • Enhance youth development and employability
  • Develop a culture of high quality lifelong learning within Department of Environmental Affairs
  • Foster skills transfer (through coaching) from Department of Environmental Affairs’ permanent staff to interns

 

Procedures and information to apply

Who is eligible to apply?
Consideration for interns is given to individuals who have successfully completed an undergraduate or postgraduate qualification
DEA offers internships in the following fields:

  • Legal
  • Finance
  • Administration
  • Information Technology
  • Development Studies/Research/Monitoring and Evaluation
  • Customer Relationship Management (call centre services)
  • Journalism
  • Communications
  • Media Studies
  • Public Relations
  • Environmental Science/Environmental Management
  • Logistics/Procurement/Supply Chain Management
  • Analytical Chemistry
  • Marine Science/Zoology/Oceanography
  • Town Planning
  • Natural Science
  • Human Resources Management
  • Public Admin/Business Administration/Asset Management
  • Waste and Pollution Management

Applications for the internship should include the following information to be considered:

  • A completed Z83 form
  • Curriculum Vitae with contact details (more than one contact details)
  • Certified copies of qualifications and recent academic records
  • Certified copy of identity document

Environmental Careers Overview

 
The environment provides many exciting, interesting and satisfying career choices stretching across a tremendous range of fields and disciplines. Working in the environmental field is rewarding because you can contribute to the maintenance and conservation of essential life systems necessary for our human survival. There are two main routes which you can take:

  • A social-environmental perspective
  • An environmental science perspective

It is important to note that these two complement one another and effective environmental management combines both these perspectives.

  • Social-environmental careers

    Normally one progresses into the social-environmental perspective through a Social Science or Arts degree presented at a university. Subjects may include Anthropology, Archaeology, Development Studies, Geography and Environmental Studies, Law (Environmental Law), Journalism (Environmental Journalism) and Education (Environmental Education). Careers in this field are centred around humans and their relations with the environment, and ways of making these relations beneficial to both people and the environment.
    Career path qualification:

    • Community conservation and rural development
      BA degree with subjects such as Anthropology, Development Studies, Geography and Environmental Studies
    • Environmental educators
      HdipEd with subjects such as Geography or Biology
      Formal Environmental Education courses pursued at postgraduate level
    • Environmental lawyers
      BA LLB degree with Environmental Law as a subject
    • Environmental journalists
      No formal qualification other than journalism (degree or diploma)
    • Cultural resource specialists
      BA degree with subjects such as Archaeology, Anthropology, Political and Social Studies or Social History
    • Eco-tourism specialists
      Tourism degree or diploma with environmental interest

  • Environmental science careers

    Environmental science careers start by completing a science degree at university or a relevant diploma course at technikon. Subjects in the natural sciences such as Zoology, Botany and Ecology generally lead to a career path in biodiversity conservation, but may also lead to a career in environmental management. Subjects in the physical sciences such as Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry might lead to a career path in environmental management aspects such as pollution control or waste management. Landscape architects and civil engineers pursue environmental management through ensuring that environmental concerns are brought to bear on infrastructural development.
    Career path qualification

    • Environmental impact assessment and environmental management
      BSc degree in natural sciences with postgraduate courses in environmental management
    • Landscape architect
      Landscape architect degree at the Universty of Pretoria or the University of Cape Town
    • Nature conservation
      Technikon diploma in Nature Conservation or BSc degree with subjects such as Zoology, Botany, Ecology.
    • Specialist scientists in biodiversity e.g. marine biologist, zoologist, ecologist
    • Postgraduate degrees in Zoology, Botany and Ecology, specialising in particular fields of interest
    • Waste managers and pollution controllers
      BSc degree with subjects such as Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Climatology
      Technikon diploma or degree in Environmental Science or Engineering
    • Environmental engineers
      Civil Engineering degree or B Tech degree in Civil Engineering

Universities and Technikons will have more information on courses and degrees.
Contact the Department of Environmental Affairs for more information as well as the requirements and timelines of the annual internship programme’s intake. The call for applications is usually sent out in October/November each year.
Mr Thomas Mathiba. Director: Sector Education, Training and Development
Tel: 012 399 9922
Email: tmathiba@environment.gov.za
Call Centre: 086 111 2468
Email:callcentre@environment.gov.za
Switch Board: 012 399 9000