Engineering firm GIBB has opened its 2026 Youth Employment Service (YES) Programme, offering unemployed South Africans aged 18 to 35 paid 12-month placements in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. Streams include Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Project Administration, with market-related pay and real project exposure inside one of South Africa’s leading engineering consultancies. Applications close on 30 September 2026.
About the Programme
GIBB is one of South Africa’s largest black-owned multidisciplinary engineering consulting firms, working on infrastructure planning, design and project delivery across roads, water, power and buildings. Its projects touch daily life across the country, from municipal water systems to major transport corridors.
The Youth Employment Service is a partnership between business and government that creates paid first work experiences for young South Africans. Through this 2026 intake, GIBB is hosting YES participants inside its delivery units for up to 12 months, where they work alongside professional engineers, project managers and administrators. Sister firm SVA is also hosting Architecture placements in Cape Town and Gqeberha through the same portal. For a graduate who has never been given a chance to work, a year inside a firm of this calibre is a serious CV upgrade.
Available Streams
- Civil Engineering placements in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town (BSc or BEng in Civil Engineering)
- Electrical Engineering placement in Cape Town
- Project Administrator placement at JHB North, reference GIB-447 (minimum National Diploma in Business Administration)
- Architecture placements with SVA in Cape Town and Gqeberha
- Market-related monthly pay for the duration of the placement
- Structured workplace experience under qualified professionals for up to 12 months
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Who Can Apply
- South African citizens born in South Africa
- Aged between 18 and 35
- Unemployed at the time of entering the programme
- Available for a 12-month fixed-term contract
- Have never participated in a YES programme before
- Hold the qualification required by your chosen stream (engineering degree, National Diploma or architecture qualification)
- Computer literate with strong Microsoft Word and Excel skills for the administration stream
Required Documents
- An updated CV
- Copies of your relevant qualification or qualifications
- A copy of your South African ID
Check that every document opens correctly and that your name, ID number and qualification details are consistent across your entire submission.
How to Apply
- Open the GIBB current opportunities portal
- Find the YES Programme placement that matches your qualification and preferred city
- Click Read More to check the full requirements, then click Apply Now
- Complete the online application form and upload your CV, ID and qualifications
- For the Project Administrator placement, use reference number GIB-447
- Submit well before 30 September 2026 to avoid last-minute portal problems
Closing Date
The closing date for the GIBB YES Programme 2026 is 30 September 2026. No late applications will be accepted.
Why It Matters
More than four out of ten young South Africans are unemployed, and engineering graduates are not spared. Firms rarely hire people without experience, and nobody can get experience without being hired. The YES programme was built to break that cycle, and GIBB’s version of it is stronger than most because participants sit inside live infrastructure projects rather than in a training room. Twelve months at a respected consultancy gives you referees, real deliverables to talk about in interviews, and a professional network in an industry where who you have worked with matters. Completing a YES year also signals reliability to every future employer who reads your CV.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need work experience to apply?
No. The programme targets young people entering the workplace for the first time. You need the required qualification for your stream, not experience.
How much does the placement pay?
GIBB describes the pay as market related but has not published a fixed amount. Confirmed during the application process.
Which provinces are the placements in?
Gauteng (JHB North), KwaZulu-Natal (Durban), the Western Cape (Cape Town) and the Eastern Cape (Gqeberha for the SVA architecture stream).
Will I get a permanent job at GIBB afterwards?
Permanent employment is not guaranteed. The placement is a 12-month fixed-term contract, but strong performers build relationships and experience that often lead to offers at GIBB or elsewhere in the industry.
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