Unemployed South African youth with Grade 12, including English and Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy, can apply for the DHL Group YES4Youth Learnership Programme 2026 / 2027 in Uitenhage.
The programme provides practical workplace exposure within a supply chain environment, giving young participants experience in logistics operations, loading and offloading, equipment handling, customer requirements, safety procedures and general warehouse discipline.
Applicants must be between 18 and 29 years old and unemployed when they apply.
What will you learn through the DHL YES4Youth programme?
The programme is designed to build practical workplace skills and improve employability.
You can expect exposure to:
- Supply chain operations
- Loading and offloading
- Customer service requirements
- Equipment handling
- Operational procedures
- Workplace safety
- Quality standards
- Delivery-related activities
- Housekeeping
- Teamwork
You will work under the guidance of supervisors and managers while learning how DHL’s operational environment functions.
What operational work will you do?
Participants will be allocated duties according to operational and business requirements.
You may need to:
- Complete operational tasks
- Assist with loading
- Assist with offloading
- Follow delivery-related instructions
- Work in designated operational areas
- Maintain productivity standards
- Complete tasks accurately
- Follow established procedures
The work is practical and suited to applicants who are comfortable in an active supply chain environment.
Will you work with customer merchandise?
Yes. You will need to understand client requirements and help make sure customer merchandise is handled according to company procedures.
Responsibilities can include:
- Identifying non-conformances
- Reporting damaged or incorrect merchandise
- Recording operational issues
- Following customer-specific requirements
- Maintaining quality standards
Attention to detail is important because errors can affect both the customer and the wider supply chain.
How important is workplace safety?
Safety is a major part of the programme.
Participants must:
- Follow safe working practices
- Use equipment correctly
- Report defects or malfunctions
- Follow operational procedures
- Comply with health and safety requirements
- Maintain good housekeeping
This is especially important in environments where vehicles, pallets, equipment and moving goods are part of daily operations.
What is MHE?
MHE stands for Material Handling Equipment.
Examples mentioned for this programme include:
- Forklift
- PPT
- Reach Truck
A valid MHE licence is advantageous but is not listed as an essential requirement.
Applicants who already hold one of these licences should make it clear on their CV.
Do you need a driver’s licence?
A valid driver’s licence would be advantageous.
It is not listed as a compulsory requirement.
Who can apply?
Applicants must:
- Be South African citizens
- Be unemployed
- Be between 18 and 29 years old
- Have Grade 12 / Matric
- Have English
- Have Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy
- Meet the programme’s BBBEE eligibility requirements
Applicants must still be unemployed at the time of application.
What skills will help you succeed?
Useful qualities include:
- Good interpersonal skills
- Teamwork
- Ability to work under pressure
- Customer service
- Clear communication
- Positive work ethic
- Ability to follow instructions
- Professional conduct
- Willingness to learn
The following would also be useful:
- Administrative skills
- Quality awareness
- Security awareness
- Understanding of service delivery
- Operational awareness
Will you need to deal with customers?
You may need to understand and respond to client requirements as part of the operational environment.
Participants are expected to communicate professionally and represent DHL appropriately when dealing with customers or other stakeholders.
What kind of workplace behaviour is expected?
Participants are expected to:
- Maintain professionalism
- Work well with others
- Follow instructions
- Protect the company’s reputation
- Maintain integrity
- Keep work areas clean
- Contribute positively to the team
- Remain willing to learn
The programme is intended to build both technical and workplace-readiness skills.
What are the programme details?
Employer: DHL Group
Programme: YES4Youth Learnership Programme 2026 / 2027
Location: Uitenhage, South Africa
Minimum qualification: Grade 12 / Matric
Subjects required: English and Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy
Age requirement: 18 to 29
Employment status: Unemployed
Citizenship: South African
MHE licence: Advantageous
Driver’s licence: Advantageous
How do you apply?
Applications must be submitted online through the DHL careers platform.
Apply for the DHL YES4Youth Learnerships 2026 / 2027
Before applying, make sure your CV clearly reflects your Grade 12 qualification, contact details and any previous exposure to warehousing, logistics, customer service, forklifts, reach trucks or other operational environments.
