CEC Graduate Development Programme 2026: Apply by 6 Nov

Copperbelt Energy Corporation Plc (CEC) is recruiting Graduate Development Trainees for an 18-month programme based in Kitwe, and applications close on Friday, 6 November 2026. The intake (reference VAC-2026-0043) is open to holders of a bachelor's degree in one of nine fields who graduated in 2024 or later and whose qualifications have been verified by the Zambia Qualifications Authority (ZAQA). Applications are accepted online only, through CEC's recruitment portal.

This guide explains who qualifies, what the programme involves, how to apply step by step, and how to sort out ZAQA verification in time for the deadline.

What is the CEC Graduate Development Programme?

The Graduate Development Programme (GDP) is CEC's structured entry route for recent graduates. According to the official advert, trainees rotate through relevant business functions and receive supervised work assignments, mentorship, formal training and on-the-job learning. The stated aim is to close the gap between what graduates learned at university and what the workplace actually requires, while building both technical and behavioural competencies.

Key facts from the advert:

Employer: Copperbelt Energy Corporation Plc, a Zambian power company involved in electricity generation, transmission, distribution and supply, best known for supplying the Copperbelt mines. Its head office is in Kitwe, with a corporate office in Lusaka.
Reference: VAC-2026-0043 – Graduate Development Trainees.
Location: Kitwe, Copperbelt Province.
Contract: Fixed term, 18 months.
Closing date: Friday, 6 November 2026.
Application method: Online only via recruitment.cec.com.zm. Hard-copy applications are not accepted.

CEC has run this programme before. A previous intake advertised in early 2024 was also an 18-month rotational programme, so the 2026 call follows an established format rather than a one-off pilot.

Who is eligible for the CEC graduate trainee programme 2026?

CEC sets three conditions, and you need to meet all of them:

A bachelor's degree from a recognised or accredited institution in one of the fields listed below.
Graduation year 2024 or later. The advert states that applicants must have graduated no earlier than 2024. If you completed your degree in 2023 or before, this intake is not open to you.
ZAQA-verified qualifications. Your certificates must already be verified by the Zambia Qualifications Authority. This is a hard requirement, not a nice-to-have, so start the process now if you have not done it (see the ZAQA section below).

Degree fields CEC is accepting

Electrical or Electronics Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Civil Engineering
Quantity Surveying
Mass Communications, Public Relations or Marketing
Bachelor of Law (you must already be admitted to the Bar)
Procurement and Supply
Economics or a business-related discipline
Finance or Accounting

The advert does not specify a minimum degree classification, an age limit or a required number of years since graduation beyond the 2024 cut-off. It also does not state how many trainees will be taken on, what the monthly allowance is, or when the programme starts. We have not seen those figures published anywhere official, so treat any number circulating on social media as unconfirmed.

How do you apply for the CEC Graduate Development Programme?

Everything happens online. Follow these steps:

Get your qualifications ZAQA-verified first. The advert lists ZAQA verification among the minimum qualifications, so do this before you fill in the form.
Open the official vacancy page on cec.com.zm and read the full advert for VAC-2026-0043. Check that your degree field matches one of the nine listed.
Click "Apply Here", which takes you to CEC's e-recruitment portal at recruitment.cec.com.zm. Create an account if you are a first-time user.
Complete the online application form for the Graduate Development Trainees vacancy. The advert does not publish a document checklist, but it is sensible to have PDF scans of your degree certificate, academic transcript, ZAQA verification certificate, Grade 12 certificate and National Registration Card ready, plus an updated CV, so you can upload whatever the portal asks for.
Provide a daytime phone number and an email address you check regularly. CEC specifically asks for these and says only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
Submit before Friday, 6 November 2026. Do not wait for the last day; recruitment portals slow down when everyone submits at once.

CEC describes itself as an equal-opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion. Its careers page notes that women made up 15% of its workforce in 2023 and that it is aiming for 20% by 2027, so qualified female graduates in engineering and technical fields should not hesitate to apply.

How to get ZAQA verification before the deadline

ZAQA verification confirms that your certificate is authentic and was issued by a registered institution. Because CEC requires it up front, it is the step most likely to trip up applicants who leave it late.

Where: Apply through ZAQA's online Qualifications Management Information System (QMIS). You register, upload your documents, pay online and later download an e-certificate once the application is processed.
How long it takes: ZAQA's guidance for learners gives about 14 working days for locally obtained qualifications, which can be shorter or longer depending on how quickly your university responds to the validation request. Foreign qualifications take around 60 working days.
Cost: ZAQA's published fee schedule lists K500 for verification of a locally obtained bachelor's degree and K50 for a Grade 12 certificate. Confirm the current amount on the QMIS portal before paying, as fees can be revised.

Counting back from 6 November, there are only about 15 working days left, and Independence Day falls in that window. If you are not yet verified, submit your ZAQA application immediately, because a standard 14-working-day turnaround started on Monday, 19 October would land right on the deadline. Follow up with your university's registry so the validation request is not left sitting in an inbox.

What should your application say?

CEC's advert repeatedly uses the words "ambitious, curious and enthusiastic" and talks about applying "fresh ideas to real business challenges". Graduate programmes of this kind are usually assessed on potential rather than experience, so your CV and any motivation statement on the portal should show evidence of:

Relevant academic projects – a final-year project on power systems, a cost-estimation exercise, an audit simulation or a moot court matter all count.
Industrial attachments or internships, even short ones, with specific tasks you handled.
Interest in the energy sector – mention open-access electricity reforms, grid reliability, renewable projects or mining power supply if you can speak about them credibly.
Soft skills with proof – leadership in a student society, a volunteer role, or a team project where you coordinated others.

If you have never written a CV for a formal application, our guide on how to write a CV with no experience walks through what to include, and the free Jobsiz CV builder produces a clean, ATS-friendly PDF you can upload to the portal.

Avoid recruitment scams

Large, well-known employers attract impersonators. Keep these points in mind:

There is no application fee anywhere in CEC's advert, and legitimate employers do not charge candidates to apply, to be shortlisted or to be interviewed. Anyone asking for money for "processing", "training" or "medical" costs is a fraudster.
The only application channel is CEC's own portal at recruitment.cec.com.zm, linked from the official vacancy page on cec.com.zm. Do not send documents to WhatsApp numbers, Gmail addresses or third-party forms.
CEC says only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Be suspicious of unsolicited "offer letters" that arrive before any interview, especially if they ask for bank details or payment.
Protect your personal data. Only upload your NRC and certificates to the official portal.

Other graduate openings in Zambia

If the CEC programme does not fit your degree, keep an eye on the latest jobs in Zambia and the dedicated listings for jobs in Kitwe. Graduate trainee and internship roles across all countries are collected on the internships page. For Copperbelt-specific opportunities, our guide to Zambia's mining local-content rules and the jobs they create explains where demand for local technical staff is growing.

Frequently asked questions

When is the closing date for the CEC Graduate Development Programme 2026?

Applications close on Friday, 6 November 2026. CEC asks that applications be received by that date through its online portal.

Can I apply if I graduated in 2023?

No. The advert states that applicants must have graduated in 2024 or thereafter. Graduates from 2023 or earlier are not eligible for this intake.

Where is the CEC graduate programme based?

The vacancy is listed in Kitwe, where CEC has its head office. Rotations across the company are part of the programme, but the advert does not list other locations.

How much does CEC pay graduate trainees?

The official advert does not state an allowance or salary, and CEC has not published one elsewhere. Any figure you see online is unconfirmed; the position is a fixed-term 18-month contract.

Can I submit a hard-copy application at the CEC offices?

No. CEC states that hard-copy applications will not be accepted at this stage. Use the online portal at recruitment.cec.com.zm.

The bottom line

CEC's 2026 Graduate Development Programme is one of the more structured graduate entry points on the Copperbelt: 18 months, nine degree fields, Kitwe-based, with a clear 6 November 2026 deadline. The two things most likely to disqualify an otherwise strong candidate are a pre-2024 graduation date and missing ZAQA verification, so check both today. Then apply only through the official portal and keep your phone and email reachable in case you are shortlisted.

Looking for more openings? Browse current vacancies in Zambia on Jobsiz or set up a profile so new graduate roles reach you first.

Sources

Written by the Jobsiz Editorial Team. Last updated 16 October 2026. Details are taken from the official CEC advert at the time of publication; always confirm on cec.com.zm before applying.