With South Africa’s official unemployment rate sitting at 33.6% in the latest Stats SA survey (SAnews), every open door counts. This week brought a fresh batch of government posts, a cluster of learnership and graduate deadlines before month-end, and new research on how employers feel about AI in your applications. Here is what you need to know.
360 government posts, plus paid graduate internships
The Department of Public Service and Administration issued Public Service Vacancy Circular 37 of 2026 on 16 October. It runs to 256 pages and carries 360 numbered post adverts from national departments such as Agriculture, Employment and Labour, Higher Education and Training, Home Affairs and Water and Sanitation, plus provincial departments in the Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and the Western Cape.
Graduates should look closely at two internship programmes. The Civilian Secretariat for Police Service is recruiting for a 24-month 2026/28 internship in Pretoria, and the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA) is hiring graduate interns for its head office in Centurion. Both pay a stipend of R8 174.75 a month. The Civilian Secretariat posts close on 30 October and the MISA posts on 2 November. Public service internships are a once-off opportunity, so if you have already done one, you will not be considered.
The circular also updates an earlier advert: Mpumalanga’s Basic Traffic Officer’s Diploma learnership now closes on 30 October, with a new application link. As always, use the new Z83 form, quote the reference number and apply directly to the department.
Source: Public Service Vacancy Circular 37 of 2026 (gov.za)
Photo by Nqobile Vundla on Unsplash
Learnership and graduate deadlines before 4 November
If you are young and looking for a first foot in the door, the next two weeks matter. A FirstJobly roundup published on 11 October lists opportunities closing before 4 November, including:
- SAHPRA Business Administration Learnership (NQF 4), Pretoria, closing 23 October
- Gauteng College of Nursing Student Nurse Intake 2027 (Diploma in Nursing), closing 30 October
- FNB Private Banking and Advisory Graduate Academy 2027, Johannesburg, closing 30 October
- Lesaka Technologies APEX Graduate Programme 2027, Johannesburg, closing 30 October
- Bestmed Actuarial Internship, Pretoria, closing 31 October
- Dis-Chem Dispensary Support Learner posts in Polokwane (23 October) and Paarl (4 November)
Get your documents ready in one folder: a current CV, a recently certified ID and your matric or qualification certificates. Check each closing date on the employer’s own listing, and remember that no real employer charges you a fee to apply or to be trained.
Source: FirstJobly: 14 learnerships and internships closing before 4 November 2026
SA still can’t find enough AI and cyber security skills
ITWeb reported on 16 October that local organisations are struggling to fill cyber security and AI roles. It cites a 2024 CSIR survey which found that 63% of cyber security positions in South African organisations were partly or fully unfilled, and ISACA research showing 65% of organisations with open cyber roles.
The encouraging part for newcomers: Zuleika Pinda of Paracon by Adcorp warned that employers who only hire experienced people risk overlooking younger candidates who learn fast and can be upskilled. She pointed to certifications, learnerships, internships and structured programmes as the way in, noting that “practical exposure is equally valuable” as theory. The article also mentions the Department of Higher Education and Training’s partnership with Google, announced in March 2026, which includes 5 000 Career Certificate scholarships in AI, cyber security and data analytics.
Source: ITWeb: SA grapples with growing demand for AI and cyber security skills
Photo by FlyD on Unsplash
Global: graduate employers are cracking down on AI misuse
The UK’s Institute of Student Employers released its Student Recruitment Report 2026 on 14 October. Graduate hiring rose 4% after an 8% drop the year before, but competition hit a record 141 applications per graduate role. A massive 92% of employers suspected or confirmed misconduct in their selection processes, mostly unauthorised AI use during interviews and online assessments.
Interestingly, 64% of employers now accept AI help with CVs, cover letters and applications, up from 46%. The line is drawn at tests and interviews. ISE’s Claire Tyler summed up the advice simply: “Above all, be yourself.”
Source: ISE: Graduate jobs stabilise, but AI use disrupts recruitment
Global: workers want flexibility, and AI needs a human check
In the US, the Employee Benefit Research Institute’s 2026 Workplace Wellness Survey (released 12 October, 1 238 workers) found that 22% of workers in remote-capable jobs have already left a job over a return-to-office rule, and another 26% say they would. Work-life balance was the most valued benefit after pay. On AI, 67% are comfortable using it at work, yet 53% often or always use it without properly checking the output, and 47% worry it could eliminate their job.
Source: EBRI 2026 Workplace Wellness Survey press release
What this means for job seekers
- Diarise the deadlines. Many Circular 37 posts and several learnerships close on 30 October. Apply early, because portals slow down near closing dates.
- Graduates, consider the public service. A paid two-year internship gives you the work experience employers keep asking for.
- Build a skill you can prove. Cyber security, AI and data are short of people. A short course, certificate or learnership plus a small portfolio can set you apart.
- Use AI as a helper, not a stand-in. It is fine to polish your CV with AI, but check every line, keep your own voice and never use it during an assessment or interview.
- Ask about flexibility honestly. Remote and hybrid work still matter to many people, so raise it at the right stage of the process.
Ready for your next move? Browse the latest vacancies on Hired & Hire and apply today.
Hired & Hire Career News, 18 October 2026
Featured image: Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash
