Leading employers continue to invest in graduate talent amid a challenging marketplace.
Despite a challenging economic environment, South Africa’s top employers are maintaining or expanding their investment in graduate and early-career talent. At the same time, student job seekers are placing greater emphasis on personal development, starting salaries, job location, long-term career stability, and mental health support when considering opportunities.
Results from independent research of leading employers in South Africa show an increasing number of graduate programmes aimed at hiring large cohorts of students. The SAGEA Employer Benchmarking Survey 2025 is based on responses from 78 of the leading employers in the country. While some uncertainty is being felt, early talent recruitment continues to employ a long-term strategy for graduate hires and many are now offering more substantial programmes – the median number of positions on these programmes is 35, which remains significantly higher than five years ago.
While these employers received more than 100 applications for each vacancy on offer, many reported a continued shortage of candidates with the right skill-sets. While demand for technically-literate graduates is increasing, employers stress the need for excellent soft skills such as resilience, strong communication skills, and a desire for continued learning.
Complimenting this research, The SAGEA Candidate Insights 2025 captured the perspectives of 2,724 new or future employees. There is a continuing trend where candidates who began job hunting in their first year at university were more likely to secure a graduate position with their employer of choice. In contrast, students who waited until their final year before starting their job search were less likely to receive offers from their preferred organisations. On average, candidates made nine applications each, and most had secured multiple job offers. Many also embraced AI tools to support their job search, particularly for tasks such as creating CVs, completing application forms, or preparing for online tests or interviews.
Highlights from The SAGEA Employer Benchmarking 2025 include:
- Two-fifths of employers were hiring graduates for leadership development programmes, where they will become future executives of the organisation. Just over a quarter were recruiting to fill in-demand or technical roles, while the remainder confirmed graduates are hired for entry-level roles, and that some (but not all) will progress to manager level.
- The accounting and professional services firms were the largest recruiters, with nearly half of all vacancies in 2025. Other major recruiters in 2025 were banking and finance organisations, retail companies and manufacturing, mining or energy organisations.
- By job function, the most vacancies were found in audit (previously TIPP), which accounted for two-fifths of total vacancies available in 2025.
- The median number of graduate vacancies in 2025 is 35, which is unchanged from last year and is one of the higher levels recorded since the research began.
- The median graduate starting salary for 2025 was R260,000 which is marginally higher than last year and remains significantly higher than the salaries from five years ago.
- The highest starting salaries in 2025 were for actuarial work, quantitative analysts, retail banking, investment analysts, data analysts and some engineering positions – these roles had median starting salaries in excess of R470,000.
- The median number of applications received by employers was 3,200 which is slightly lower than last year but significantly higher compared to two years ago.
- The median number of applications per vacancy was 116, which is the highest on record.
- Just one in eight applications were successful in reaching the next stage of employers’ selection processes. An average of eight per cent of candidates reneged on offers they had accepted.
Highlights from The SAGEA Candidate Insights 2025 include:
- The most popular destinations were auditing, legal, technology, finance and engineering positions.
- The four universities with the highest attendance levels accounted for nearly half of all survey participants.
- Candidates made an average of nine applications, which is the same as last year but noticeably higher than four years ago.
- Training and development, the organisation’s reputation and culture, and the long-term career prospects remain the primary factors when deciding where to apply.
- Just under half of the candidates were going to be working in Johannesburg, while a fifth had secured positions in Cape Town.
- More than half of candidates used AI tools to help them with their job search, primarily at the early stages (such as application forms or practicing online tests), while seven per cent used AI during online assessments or tests.
Executive Director for SAGEA, Cathy Sims commented:
“It is wonderful to see organisations from diverse industries remaining committed to graduate employment. These leading employers clearly recognise the value and potential of hiring high-calibre graduates, and the scale and scope of current graduate programmes reflect the strategic importance placed on early talent as a pipeline for future leadership and innovation.
While the shortage of relevant skills in the market remains a concern, many employers are responding by investing in potential – seeking candidates who may not yet have all the competencies but demonstrate the curiosity, passion, and adaptability needed to grow into their roles. It’s an approach that helps to bridge the skills gap and build a more resilient, future-focused workforce.”
Notes for Editors
1. The SAGEA Employer Benchmarking 2025 and The SAGEA Candidate Insights 2025 were carried out on behalf of The South African Graduate Employers Association (SAGEA) by the specialist graduate research company, High Fliers Research Ltd. Research was online, and took place from February to June 2024.
2. The South African Graduate Employers Association (SAGEA) is a professional association that is the hub of graduate employment in South Africa. Through exclusive insights projects, ingenuity and connection to international organisations, SAGEA provides members with access to the latest graduate employment insights, trends, global best practice and resources to help them attract and retain the best talent for their businesses.
3. For further information or additional comments please contact:
Cathy Sims, Executive Director, South African Graduate Employers Association.
Telephone: 087 379 7163 Email: cathy.sims@sagea.org.za
4. The employers who participated in one or both pieces of research include:
| Absa Group | Glencore | Rainbow Chicken |
| Accenture | Hatch Africa | Rand Merchant Bank |
| Allan Gray | Huawei Technologies Africa | RCL FOODS |
| Anglo American | Impact.com | Saint-Gobain |
| Astron Energy | Imperial Logistics, a DP World company | Sanlam |
| Auditor General of South Africa | Investec | Sanlam Investments |
| Bain & Company | IQbusiness | Santam |
| Baker McKenzie | Kearney | Sasol |
| BDO | KPMG | SNG Grant Thornton |
| Bowmans | L’Oréal | South African Reserve Bank |
| BP | Lactalis | South African Revenue Services |
| Capitec Bank | Massmart | Standard Bank |
| Cell C | McKinsey & Company | Swiss Re Africa |
| Clicks Group | Mercedes Benz | Teach the Nation |
| Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr | Mr Price Group | TFG – The Foschini Group |
| Coronation Fund Managers | Multichoice | The Shoprite Group of Companies |
| DBSA | Nedbank | The South African Breweries |
| Deloitte | Nestlé | Tiger Brands |
| Derivco | Ninety One | Toyota |
| Discovery | NTT DATA | Truworths |
| ENS | Old Mutual | Vodacom |
| Entelect | Oliver Wyman | Webber Wentzel |
| Exxaro | P&G | Werksmans Attorneys |
| EY | Pinsent Masons | Woolworths |
| Fasken | PKF South Africa | WSP |
| Financial Intelligence Centre | Prescient | Zutari |
| FirstRand | Procter & Gamble | |
| FNB | Public Investment Corporation | |
| Genesis Analytics | PwC |