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Students Experience Programme (STEP) Six-month Internships in Germany 1st March – 31st August 2011
Since its creation in 1996 by the German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK), the Federation of German Industries (BDI) and the Afrika Verein (AV), SAFRI - the Southern Africa Initiative of German Business – has supported many different initiatives aimed at focusing attention on the economic potential of the member states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and further promoting German business activities in the region.
Within the framework of its commitment to the SAFRI initiative, Daimler (the manufacturer of Mercedes-Benz vehicles) created the Students Experience Programme (STEP) in 2005. The programme offers students and young graduates from SADC countries a six-month internship at Daimler and other companies in Germany. The participants are given the opportunity to broaden their knowledge and work skills and acquire specific competencies for their future careers.

What does a STEP internship involve?
•    The six-month internships in Germany start on 1st March 2011. Flights to and from Germany are paid for by the host company.
•    Before coming to Germany, STEP interns receive 80 hours of German language training in their home countries. This language training is continued on a weekly basis in Germany during the internship.
•    STEP participants receive an intern’s salary which is sufficient to cover the cost of accommodation, health insurance, travel to work and other daily needs.
•    The internship is carried out in a business area which matches the qualifications of the intern. For example, an engineering student/graduate will be placed in a suitable engineering/ research department.
•    Each STEP intern is assigned a mentor at work.
•    STEP interns work a full-time, five-day week and are entitled to 10 days holiday.
•    Additional business training is provided and group excursions are organised by the SAFRI office to familiarise STEP participants with the culture, country, and people of Germany.

To apply for STEP you must ....
•    be a citizen of a SADC country
•    be fluent in English
•    be completing your studies (BCom/BEng/BSc/BTech) in one of the following areas in 2010: ␣ economics
␣ finance ␣ accounting ␣ marketing ␣ logistics ␣ IT ␣ electrical/electronic engineering ␣ industrial engineering ␣ mechatronic engineering ␣ mechanical engineering
•    have at least 3 years of study as of 31st December 2010
•    be keen to learn German
•    be highly motivated and ready to deliver top-level performance
•    be able to adapt quickly to a new environment and culture •    be proficient in MS Office (especially Excel & PowerPoint)
•    Applicants must not have more than one year’s practical work experience

For further information on STEP, please refer to the SAFRI website www.safri.de and follow the links to the “Students Experience Programme (STEP)”.
How to apply for STEP

If you are interested in applying for a STEP internship in Germany in 2011 and fulfil the above mentioned criteria, please email your CV with a covering letter to the STEP Project Manager in Germany by Friday, 27th August 2010:
Mrs Joanne Dittrich STEP Project Manager Southern Africa Initiative of German Business – SAFRI SAFRI Chairman’s Office 70546 Stuttgart Germany Phone:    +49 (0) 711 17 77549 Fax:    +49 (0) 711 17 93816 Email: joanne.dittrich@daimler.com

In order to be fair, applications received after the application closing date will not be considered.