City of Johannesburg Environmental Internships 2026 / 2027
City of Johannesburg
General / Other
Monthly stipend
Not stated
Closing date
10 Sept 2026
11 days left
- Opportunity
- Internship
- Minimum education
- Degree (NQF 7)
- Location
- Johannesburg, Gauteng
- NQF level
- NQF 6
- SETA
- LGSETA
- Posted
- 30 Aug 2026
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Opportunity Overview
The City of Johannesburg (CoJ) Department of Environment & Infrastructure Services (EISD) is offering short-term contract positions under the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP). These opportunities are designed for suitably qualified and unemployed South African youth.
The programme will run for a period not exceeding twelve (12) months. It provides a valuable chance to gain practical experience within critical environmental sectors of the City.
Minimum Requirements
To be eligible for these opportunities, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Age: Between 18 and 35 years old.
- Must be an unemployed South African youth.
- General Skills: ICT literacy, including MS Office Applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
Specific Requirements for each role:
Waste Management Youth Graduate
- Education: A Diploma or Degree (NQF 6/7) in Environmental Science, Environmental Management, Environmental Health, Nature Conservation, Occupational Health and Safety, or any other closely related discipline.
- Additional Skills: Good written and verbal communication skills, Project Management.
Climate Change Youth Graduate
- Education: A Diploma or Degree (NQF 6/7) in Environmental Science, Environmental Management, Energy Studies, or any other closely related discipline.
- Additional Skills: Good communication and presentation skills, Project management skills, Coordinating skills, Report writing, Good time management skills, Knowledge and understanding of environmental issues, Basic knowledge of climate change science and the Climate Change Act.
Air Quality Youth Graduate
- Education: A Diploma or Degree (NQF 6/7) in Environmental Science, Environmental Management, Conservation Management, or any other closely related discipline.
- Additional Skills: Good communication and presentation skills, Project management skills, Coordinating skills, Report writing, Good time management skills.
Key Responsibilities
Waste Management Youth Graduate
- Audit Pikitup Buyback and Garden Sites.
- Monitor service delivery and cleanliness standards, and investigate complaints.
- Promote recycling and waste separation.
- Support community clean-up programmes.
- Educate informal reclaimers on waste management practices.
- Assist with illegal dumping.
Climate Change Youth Graduate
- Support the implementation, monitoring and reporting of the Climate Action Plan and related projects.
- Assist with climate data collection, analysis and validation, including GHG inventories and CDP reporting.
- Support the development and maintenance of climate action monitoring and tracking tools.
- Conduct climate change research, policy reviews and preparation of technical reports.
- Assist with stakeholder coordination, data gathering, meetings and climate change mainstreaming activities.
What the Work Involves
These short-term contract positions are based at 118 Jorissen Street, Traduna House, Braamfontein, Johannesburg.
For the Waste Management Youth Graduate
You will be involved in fieldwork and administrative tasks related to waste management across the city. This includes physically auditing Pikitup buyback and garden sites, as well as monitoring service delivery and investigating complaints to ensure cleanliness standards are met. A significant part of your role will involve community engagement, promoting recycling, supporting clean-up initiatives, educating informal reclaimers on proper waste management, and assisting with efforts to curb illegal dumping.
For the Climate Change Youth Graduate
Your role will be largely focused on supporting the City's climate change initiatives. This involves hands-on work with data, including collecting, analysing, and validating climate data for Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventories and CDP reporting. You will contribute to the development and maintenance of tools for monitoring climate action and will engage in research, policy reviews, and the preparation of technical reports. Expect to coordinate with various stakeholders, gather information, attend meetings, and help integrate climate change considerations into various city activities.
How to Apply
To apply for these Environmental Internships, please follow the link below:
This listing in context
What the 354 opportunities we currently hold say about this one.
- Live internships
- 62
- In Gauteng
- 26
- Closing within 7 days
- 4
61% of the 62 live internships we hold ask for Degree (NQF 7), so this listing asks for what most of them ask for.
Live internships stay open for a median of 42 days between posting and closing date.
Calculated by SetaJobs from the 354 listings open on this site right now, and updated as they change. Browse all 151 opportunities in Gauteng.
What you'll need to apply
Internships usually ask for your completed qualification up front — that is the thing being checked.
- Your CV
- Certified copy of your ID
- Certified copies of any qualifications
- A short motivation letter
What an internship actually is
An internship is a fixed-term work-experience placement for someone who already holds a qualification. Unlike a learnership, it does not award a new qualification — its purpose is to convert a certificate, diploma or degree into the experience that entry-level adverts keep asking for. In the public service these run for a set term and are generally not renewable.
What the work actually looks like
- You are placed in a specific unit under a named supervisor and given the unit's ordinary work, at a junior level.
- Most of the learning is by assignment rather than instruction: you are handed a real task, given the file, and expected to ask.
- Many programmes require a workplace report or a supervisor evaluation at the end, which is what your certificate of service is based on.
What you leave with
Documented work experience and a certificate of service — the thing that lets you answer "experience required" on the next application. No new qualification is awarded.
Where this leads next
Junior or entry-level post
Completing the internship and applying as an experienced candidate rather than a graduate.
Fixed-term contract post
Often the realistic next step in government, where permanent posts are advertised less frequently.
Permanent appointment
Competing successfully for an advertised post — internships rarely convert automatically.
A typical route, not a guarantee — progression depends on vacancies, funding and your own performance.
Watch out for this
Government internships are usually once-only: having completed one, you may be ineligible for another. Check the advert's exclusion clause before applying if you have interned before.
About LGSETA & this sector
LGSETA supports skills in municipalities and local government, where many entry-level and administrative learnerships are hosted.
