18 Jun Our Safire youth
Our Learnership programme members: (from left to right): Tristan Marais, Kaylin Peters, Sithembile Mdlangathi, Mbali Mkhulisi, Selene Basson and Nelile Mkhize.
At Safire, we believe that the youth are the future of this country, and so we are proud to invest in them through our in-house Safire Learnership and Safire Internship programmes. In addition, Safire’s Scholarship programme pupils are given the opportunity to attend some of the leading schools in KZN. Run in conjunction with top educational institutions such as Cordwalles Preparatory School, Michaelhouse, and Maritzburg College, the Scholarship programme sees these young pupils being educated and mentored until they have matriculated.
Safire Learnership programme
The Safire Learnership programme was launched on 1 February 2018 and offers unemployed youngsters with tertiary qualifications an opportunity to complete a 12-month learning period with Safire. This provides them with invaluable practical experience and insight into the corporate environment and allows them to work closely with Safire’s industry experts in several fields. We currently have five Learners at Safire: Tristan Marais, Kaylin Peters, Sithembile Mdlangathi, Mbali Mkhulisi, Selene Basson and Nelile Mkhize.
Safire Internship programme
After completing twelve months as learners, during which time they complete the FETC in Short Term Insurance NQF L4, the candidates may proceed to our Internship programme for a further year if there is capacity within the company, or could accept full-time positions with other employers. Not all members of the Learnership programme progress to Internship, and Interns may be selected from outside the Learnership programme. Those who stay with Safire and complete their period of Internship successfully may become permanent employees. Both the Safire Learnership and Internship programmes are run in conjunction with INSETA (Insurance Sector Education and Training Authority). All Learners and Interns receive a stipend every month.
The 2025/2026 Safire Interns, based in Pietermaritzburg, are (from left to right) Taine Kippen, Thando Vilakazi and Bruce Zimu.
The 2025/2026 Safire Interns, based in Pretoria, are (from left to right): Palesa Maleswena and Rebaone Seabelo.
During Youth Month, we sat down with our programme members and asked them some thought-provoking questions relating to Youth Day and their individual professional journeys. We hope that these graphics below ‘shine a spotlight’ on our young people, showcasing the value they bring to our business while also highlighting the positive impact Safire has had on their personal and professional growth.
In closing: in addition to its youth programmes, Safire encourages its staff members to further their studies and has enabled several individuals to complete their tertiary qualifications. Training courses at Safire’s own training centre are offered to staff on a regular basis with both internal and external trainers, and staff members also attend external accredited skills-enhancement courses. Safire is a regular contributor to the South African Insurance Association consumer education initiatives, which focus on knowledge-sharing throughout the financial services industry.