A fantastic opportunity has opened for a Production Planning Intern in the industrial manufacturing hub of Isando, Johannesburg. This 12-month work-based learning program is specifically designed for a Supply Chain or Operations Management graduate looking to build a career in factory-floor optimization, master scheduling, and inventory control.
If you are a highly organized individual with a strong mathematical aptitude and an interest in how raw materials transform into finished goods, this corporate manufacturing environment offers structured coaching and mentorship to launch your career.
đź“Ť Position Details
- Location: Isando, Johannesburg (ZA, 1600)
- Duration: 12-Month Work-Based Learning Contract
- Industry: Advanced Manufacturing / Supply Chain
- Benefits: Continuous on-the-job coaching, industry mentoring, and hands-on manufacturing experience.
🎓 Requirements & Qualifications
To qualify for this operational supply chain intake, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Education: A completed Degree or Diploma in Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, or a closely related logistics field.
- Aptitude: Strong mathematical and analytical capability (essential for forecasting and capacity planning).
- Systems: Prior exposure to or theoretical knowledge of SAP (ERP software) is highly advantageous.
- Attributes: Excellent team player, strong attention to detail, and the ability to communicate across different departments (Warehousing, Production, Sales).
⚙️ Key Areas of Responsibility
As a Production Planning Intern, your daily tasks keep the factory lines running efficiently without running out of stock or overproducing:
- Master Production Scheduling (MPS): Assisting in the creation and live maintenance of daily/weekly production schedules to ensure client orders are fulfilled on time.
- Data-Driven Analysis: Reviewing factory performance data to spot production bottlenecks, calculate run-time trends, and identify capacity improvement areas.
- Inventory Control & Stock Management: Monitoring raw materials and finished goods inventories, maintaining accurate stock movement records, and minimizing stock variances.
- Label & Component Governance: Overseeing physical inventory control protocols for high-precision components—specifically ensuring product labels are stored, categorized, and packed correctly to avoid packaging errors.
- Inter-Departmental Collaboration: Acting as an operational bridge between Procurement, the production floor, and the warehouse teams.
đź’ˇ Potential Interview Questions
Supply Chain & Planning Logic
- “Production planning relies heavily on balancing demand with capacity. If a machine breaks down for a day, how would you go about adjusting the production schedule without delaying an urgent customer order?”
- Why they ask: They want to see your practical problem-solving logic. A good planner knows how to shuffle buffer stock, prioritize orders, or look at alternative line capacities.
- “Why is maintaining 100% accurate stock movement records vital for a manufacturing plant that uses a system like SAP?”
- Why they ask: This tests your understanding of data integrity. In manufacturing, poor data input causes the system to order the wrong materials, halting production or creating dead stock.
Mathematical Aptitude & Detail Vetting
- “The role requires maintaining accurate stock records and handling label control. Why do you think a simple mistake like mislabeling a batch or storing labels in the wrong area can have massive financial consequences for a manufacturing firm?”
- Why they ask: In regulated manufacturing (food, chemical, or pharmaceutical), labeling errors can lead to total product recalls. They are testing your commitment to strict quality and detail tracking.
- “Tell us about your familiarity with Excel or SAP. How have you used mathematical formulas or software systems during your studies to manage inventory or forecast data?”
- Why they ask: They want to gauge your readiness to step onto their operational tech stack without needing basic technical training.