Vodacom Discover Graduate Programme

Written by Thabo MokoenaSenior Education Editor

Reviewed & verified by Naledi KhumaloSenior Admissions and Bursaries EditorVerified

The Vodacom Discover Graduate Programme is a permanent job, not a fixed-term placement. Graduates are employed from day one and spend their first two years on a structured leadership development programme before moving into a role in the business. Vodacom runs it alongside its 12-month internships and its merit bursary as part of its Early Careers programmes. Applications for the intake that starts on 1 February 2027 closed on 31 August 2026.

A salaried job with two years of training

Vodacom describes the Discover programme as a two-year immersive leadership development programme. Its own reports on past groups say graduates earn a full salary with the benefits of full-time employment, and receive mentorship, a personal coach and on-the-job training. The programme page mentions global rotation opportunities for international exposure, and ends with a “career-defining role” in the organisation. Vodacom does not publish the starting salary.

The intake is large. In a media release of 26 June 2025, Vodacom said 131 Discover graduates had taken part in the programme the previous year, 84 of them women. Graduates profiled by Vodacom have been placed in areas such as data analytics in the prepaid business, human resources, retail operations and management information systems, which shows the programme is not only for engineers.

The 65% aggregate and other entry rules

For the 2027 intake Vodacom asked for:

• an undergraduate degree (or equivalent) completed by the end of 2026;
• at least a bachelor’s degree at NQF 7, such as a BCom, BSc or BTech;
• a minimum aggregate of 65% in completed or most recent academic results;
• less than two years of work experience in a corporate or formal work environment after studying;
• South African citizenship, by birth or naturalisation, or permanent residence.

A three-year National Diploma (NQF 6) is accepted only in Electrical or Electronic Engineering, Computer Software Engineering, and Information Systems or Information Technology. Citizens of the DRC, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Egypt and Tanzania may also apply, but for positions in those countries’ Vodacom markets rather than in South Africa.

Vodacom lists eight qualities it looks for: being purpose driven, learning agility, being digitally ready and future-fit, drive and accountability, collaboration, critical thinking and problem-solving, customer focus and business awareness, and emerging leadership potential.

Applying with a CV and transcript, no questionnaire

For the 2027 intake Vodacom dropped the questionnaires used in earlier years. Applicants clicked “Apply now” on the Discover Graduate Programme page, registered on Vodacom’s recruitment system (the combined 2027 Early Careers posting on the Vodafone careers site) and uploaded a CV with their most recent academic transcript. Vodacom recommends applying from a computer or tablet using Google Chrome. The system emails a confirmation, and Vodacom’s resourcing team says it gives feedback at every stage.

Timing for the 2028 intake

Vodacom has not published dates for the 2028 intake. The last two calls opened mid-year: the 2026 Early Careers call was announced on 26 June 2025, and the 2027 call closed on 31 August 2026. Final-year students who expect to finish in 2027 should keep an eye on the Vodacom Early Careers page and have a transcript ready.

Students still studying can look at the Vodacom bursary for STEM degrees, and the Vodacom provider profile for its other programmes. Other ICT funding is listed on our ICT bursaries page.

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