Retail giant Pepkor Lifestyle is officially opening its doors to ambitious South African graduates for its 2026 Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Programme. Funded in partnership with the W&R SETA (Wholesale and Retail Sector Education and Training Authority), this highly sought-after development initiative offers an intensive 12 to 18-month career launchpad based in the commercial hub of Sandton, Gauteng.
This program is specifically designed to bridge the gap between academic qualifications and corporate execution, embedding young professionals directly into the strategic operations of Pepkor’s prominent retail lifestyles division.
Position Details
- Employer: Pepkor Lifestyle (In partnership with W&R SETA)
- Program Type: Structured Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Internship
- Location: Sandton, Gauteng
- Contract Duration: 12 to 18 Months
- Remuneration: Monthly SETA-funded stipend
- Closing Date: 30 June 2026
Target Qualifications & Academic Streams
Pepkor Lifestyle has opened this intake across both university and technical college faculties. Applicants holding a Degree, Advanced Diploma, National Diploma, or TVET N-Diploma (N6) in any of the following fields are eligible to apply:
- Commerce & Strategy: Business Management, Finance, Financial Accounting, Cost & Management Accounting.
- Human Capital & Governance: Human Resources Management (HR), Bachelor of Laws (LLB) / Law.
- Technology & Systems: Software Engineering, Information Technology (IT), Computer Science.
- Operations & Logistics: Supply Chain Management, Logistics Management.
What Your Internship Journey Involves
As a WIL Programme Learner, you will not just be shadowing; you will be given active operational objectives within your assigned corporate department:
- Departmental Rotations: Experiencing real-world corporate sprints—whether it’s deploying code updates in the IT division, processing financial reporting matrices, auditing supply chain vendor efficiencies, or handling employee relations administration in HR.
- Data & Project Execution: Running with day-to-day divisional tasks, extracting performance data, compiling operational reports, and presenting insights to team leads.
- SETA Logbook Tracking: Systematically documenting your practical workplace tasks in alignment with W&R SETA workplace logbook standards to successfully sign off on your occupational development requirements.
Potential Interview Questions
Commercial Acumen & Problem Solving
- “Pepkor Lifestyle operates in a highly dynamic, fast-paced retail consumer market. If you are placed in your field [e.g., Finance / Supply Chain / IT] and spot a recurring bottleneck that slows down your team’s weekly targets, how would you approach solving it?”
- Why they ask: They want to evaluate your workplace readiness and solution-oriented drive. A strong candidate will talk about gathering data on the error, discussing the bottleneck constructively with team mentors, and mapping out a simple workflow adjustment.
- “This programme spans up to 18 months and requires high accountability to manage both your daily corporate deliverables and your SETA logbook requirements. How do you plan to organize your time efficiently?”
- Why they ask: This screens your personal organizational habits and self-management skills. They need to ensure you can handle a full-time corporate workload while remaining meticulous with administrative training records.
Collaboration & Cultural Fit
- “Tell me about a time during your varsity or TVET college team projects where you had to work with a diverse group of people who held completely conflicting ideas on how to complete a project. How did you handle it?”
- Why they ask: Retail corporate environments depend entirely on cross-functional teamwork. The panel wants to evaluate your interpersonal maturity, listening skills, and ability to collaborate smoothly across different corporate layers.
How to Apply
Applications are processed online through Pepkor’s corporate talent portals. Because this program is SETA-funded and highly competitive, ensuring your application file is flawless is critical.
- CV Architecture: Clearly state your exact qualification title, your institution, your major modules, your technical competencies, and your current residential address in Gauteng.
- Mandatory Documentation Bundle: Meticulously scan and attach a certified copy of your South African ID, your Matric certificate, your completed Degree/Diploma certificate (or an official letter of completion if you are a TVET student needing WIL hours to graduate), and your full official academic transcripts.