Careers - Students Experience Programme (STEP)

 

Six-month Internships in Germany  

1^st March – 31^st August 2012 

Since its creation in 1996 by the German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK), the Federation of German Industries (BDI) and the Afrika Verein (AV), SAFRI - the Southern Africa Initiative of German Business – has supported many different initiatives aimed at focusing attention on the economic potential of the member states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and further promoting German business activities in the region.

Daimler (the manufacturer of Mercedes-Benz cars) created the Students Experience Programme (STEP) in 2005. The programme offers students and young graduates from SADC countries a six-month internship with Daimler and other companies in Germany. The participants are given the opportunity to broaden their knowledge and work skills and acquire specific competencies for their future careers.

For further detailed information on STEP, please refer to the SAFRI website www.safri.de  and follow the links to the “Students Experience Programme (STEP)”.

What does a STEP internship involve? 

• The six-month internships in Germany start on 1^st March 2012. Flights to and from Germany are paid for by the German host company.
• Before coming to Germany, STEP interns receive 80 hours of German language training in their home country. This language training is continued on a weekly basis in Germany during the internship.
• STEP participants receive an intern’s salary which is sufficient to cover the cost of accommodation, health insurance, travel to work and other daily needs in Germany.
• SAFRI organises the intern’s accommodation in Germany
• The internship is carried out in a business area which matches the qualifications of the intern. For example, a computer systems student will be placed in an IT department.

• Each STEP intern is assigned a mentor at work.

• STEP interns work a full-time, five-day week and are entitled to 10 days holiday.
• Additional business and IT training is provided and group excursions are organised by the SAFRI Office to familiarise STEP participants with the culture, country and people of Germany. 

To apply for STEP you must …. 

• be a citizen of a SADC country
• be fluent in English
• be completing your university studies (BCom/BEng/BSc/Btech or higher) in one of the following areas in 2011: 

 

• commerce
• engineering
• human resources
• IT
• finance
• economics
• marketing
• logistics
 
• be keen to learn German
• be highly motivated and ready to deliver top-level performance
• be able to adapt quickly to a new environment and culture
• be interested in meeting people and learning about a new country and culture
• be proficient in MS Office (especially Excel & PowerPoint)
• Applicants must not have more than one year’s practical work experience

How to apply for STEP 

If you qualify for STEP and would like to apply for an internship in Germany in 2012, please forward a covering letter, your CV, a copy of your most recent academic transcript and a certified copy of your passport/ID by email to the Group HRD and Performance Management Team. Only online applications sent to the following address will be accepted:  grouphrd.el@daimler.com 

The closing date for all applications is Monday, 19^th September 2011.Applications after this date will not be accepted. Please be advised that if you have not received a response by 31st October 2011, you must unfortunately regard your application as unsuccessful.