HCI Foundation Graduate Development Programme

Hosken Consolidated Investments Foundation (HCIF) is a corporate social investment wing of the holding company Hosken Consolidated Investments. HCIF offers financial and strategic support to not-for-profit organisations in South Africa. 

Our mission is to spark human potential and capacitate organisations towards sustainable and ethical growth and development. We do this through partnering with organisations that work in Education from ECD, Tertiary Education to Teacher Development, Environmental Education and Youth Development.

About the HCI Foundation Graduate Development the Programme

Zunaid Latief an LLB graduate from the University of the Western Cape who was introduced by a Golden Arrow Bus Services employee to the HCIF bursary programme. His university results were not consistent as much as he would have liked them to be. However, HCIF continued supporting his potential. After completing his 5-year LLB degree he struggled to find employment. He then ended up working as a call centre agent. While looking for other opportunities he received a call from HCIF to participate in their Alumni programme that meant he needed to share his CV too. He was later given an internship opportunity that was facilitated by HCIF with the Cape Town ProBono office one of the NGOs that the foundation supports. Darrell Levine of the Seardel Group and Uzair Adams were his mentors that shaped his professional development. He is grateful to the mentorship and graduate’s development programme offered to him by HCIF. At the end of his internship (GDP), he received an employment opportunity at SEESA as a legal assistant and later was promoted to be a legal advisor. Zunaid encourages employers to consider opening up internship opportunities for graduate as it is difficult to access work experience in South Africa. 

According to Stats SA, the South African unemployment rate is currently sitting at 31.1 %. This number includes university graduates. The HCIF Graduate Development Programme seeks to facilitate 1-year work placement opportunities within Hosken Consolidated Investments, Not for Profit Organisations and other companies of HCIF bursary recipient graduates. Many employers always ask for work experience when they have work opportunities. However, new university graduates do not have the required work experience that many employers request when advertising employment opportunities. The HCI Foundation GDP intends to contribute towards closing the work experience gap. 

HCI Foundation Graduate Development Programme Objectives:

  1. To provide HCIF graduates with work experience.
  2. To prepare graduates for the transition from being a student to a work professional environment. 
  3. To assist GPD participants to access permanent employment and grow into management positions. 

About HCIF Graduate Development Programme candidates: These are young, vibrant, motivated hard-working HCI Foundation bursary recipients’ graduates.

 

 

Please contact Phadiela Cooper who coordinates The HCI Foundation Graduate Development Programme by email at pcooper@hcifoundation.co.za  if you are a company looking into recruiting graduates and for further details.

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