Graduate Trainee Programmes in Zambia 2026/27: Employers, Requirements and How to Apply

Graduate trainee programmes in Zambia are structured entry routes, usually lasting 12 to 24 months, that employers such as Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC), PwC Zambia, Zanaco, FNB Zambia, ZESCO, Konkola Copper Mines, ZAFFICO, CFAO Mobility and National Breweries use to recruit fresh graduates and train them on the job. Most intakes ask for a bachelor's degree completed within the last one to four years, a Grade 12 certificate with credits in English and Mathematics, and ZAQA-verified certificates; a few also cap the age at 25 or 26. As at 29 October 2026, the only intake we could confirm as still open is CEC's Graduate Development Programme, which closes on 6 November 2026. This guide explains how the programmes work, who qualifies, which employers run them, when they usually open and how to apply without falling for a fake advert.

What is a graduate trainee programme?

A graduate trainee programme (sometimes called a graduate development programme, or GDP) is a fixed-term training contract for people who have recently finished a degree. Instead of being hired into one narrow role, trainees rotate through several departments, work under supervision, receive formal training and are assessed along the way. Many employers use the programme as a pipeline: CFAO Mobility Zambia, for example, describes its two-year scheme as having "the potential for permanent employment upon successful completion", and ZESCO advertises some graduate-level posts as permanent and pensionable from day one.

This is different from an internship or attachment. Internships in Zambia are often shorter, may be unpaid or pay a small allowance, and are frequently open to students who have not yet graduated. A graduate trainee is a paid employee on a fixed-term contract, and the employer expects you to have completed your qualification before you start.

Who is eligible? Typical requirements in Zambia

Requirements differ from one advert to the next, but the 2025 and 2026 adverts we reviewed share a clear pattern. Before applying, check that you can meet most of the following:

• A completed bachelor's degree. Every programme on this list asks for a degree or an equivalent professional qualification. Some restrict the field (CEC named nine degree fields; MTN Zambia asked for Computer Science), while others, such as ZAFFICO and CFAO, accept any relevant discipline.

• Recent graduation. Most employers set a window: CEC wants graduates from 2024 onwards, PwC Zambia's 2026 intake was for 2024 and 2025 graduates, Zanaco accepts people who graduated within the past four years, KCM asked for graduation within two years, and CFAO's 2026 intake was limited to the 2025–2026 academic years.

• A full Grade 12 certificate. Zanaco and National Breweries both asked for five credits or O-levels including English and Mathematics (National Breweries added Science).

• Academic performance. KCM and MTN Zambia both asked for a Merit or better.

• Age limits in some cases. CFAO Mobility set a maximum of 25 years; MTN Zambia's programme targeted applicants aged 20 to 26. Most other employers did not state an age limit.

• ZAQA verification. CEC and NFC Africa Mining required certificates verified by the Zambia Qualifications Authority. Even where it is not stated, having your documents verified early saves time if you are shortlisted. See our guide on ZAQA qualification verification in Zambia for fees and steps.

• Little or no work experience. PwC Zambia, ZESCO, ZAFFICO and CFAO all said no prior experience is required, and CFAO actually prefers candidates without it.

Employers that run graduate trainee programmes in Zambia

The employers below have advertised graduate intakes in 2025 or 2026. Closing dates are quoted from the adverts; where an intake has closed, the details still tell you what to expect when the next one opens.

Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) – Graduate Development Programme

CEC is recruiting Graduate Development Trainees (reference VAC-2026-0043) for an 18-month rotational programme based in Kitwe, and the advert gives a closing date of Friday, 6 November 2026. Applicants need a bachelor's degree in one of nine listed fields, must have graduated in 2024 or later, and must have ZAQA-verified qualifications. Applications are accepted online only through CEC's recruitment portal at recruitment.cec.com.zm, where you create an account before you can view and apply for the vacancy. We cover the eligibility rules and application steps in detail in our CEC Graduate Development Programme 2026 guide.

PwC Zambia – Graduate Recruitment Programme

PwC Zambia runs an annual graduate intake for its Assurance and Tax service lines, and the 2026 advert also listed Consulting and Risk Services. The 2026 round closed on 20 June 2026 and was open to graduates who completed their studies in 2024 or 2025, from a broad range of academic backgrounds, with no work experience required. Applications go through the firm's online graduate portal (linked from the PwC Zambia careers page); PwC says only online applications are reviewed and that CVs emailed to its Human Capital team will not be considered. Watch for the next intake around the middle of 2027.

Zanaco – Graduate Trainee roles

Zambia National Commercial Bank advertised a Graduate Trainee – Strategy & Data position in its CEO's Division at Head Office in Lusaka on 30 September 2026, with a closing date of 11 October 2026. The bank asked for a full Grade 12 certificate with five credits including English and Mathematics, a bachelor's degree in a quantitative or technical discipline (Computer Science, Data Science, Applied Statistics, Actuarial Science, Information Systems and similar), graduation within the past four years, and skills in Python, SQL and visualisation tools such as Power BI. Applicants were encouraged to share a public portfolio such as a GitHub profile. Zanaco posts vacancies on its own careers portal, reached from the Zanaco careers page.

FNB Zambia – Graduate Trainee

First National Bank Zambia, part of the FirstRand group, advertised a Graduate Trainee role covering Lusaka and the Copperbelt in July 2025 (closing 17 July 2025). The advert asked for a bachelor's degree and no experience. FNB recruits through FirstRand's Workday careers site, so search for Zambia-based graduate roles there rather than sending a CV to a branch.

ZESCO – graduate-level posts

Zambia's power utility does not always label its entry roles as a "programme", but it regularly advertises graduate-level positions. In April 2026 it advertised a Graduate Information Systems Auditor in Lusaka: a full-time, permanent and pensionable post requiring a Grade 12 certificate and a bachelor's degree in an ICT, engineering or business field (or a professional qualification such as ACCA, CIMA or CA Zambia), with no prior work experience required. The post closed on 21 April 2026. All ZESCO applications go through its careers portal at careers.zesco.co.zm.

Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) – Graduate Trainee Recruitment Programme

KCM advertised a Graduate Trainee Recruitment Programme based in Chingola in April 2026, with a very short window (advertised on 2 April, closing 5 April 2026). The requirements were a bachelor's degree in a relevant field, graduation within the last two years, and strong academic performance of Merit and above. Applications went to the KCM careers email address given in the advert. The lesson from KCM is to have your documents ready before the advert appears, because some mining intakes close within days.

ZAFFICO – Graduate Trainees (Ndola)

The Zambia Forestry and Forest Industries Corporation advertised ten Graduate Trainee positions in Ndola in April 2026 (closing 24 April 2026), aimed at 2024–2025 graduates with a relevant qualification. The advert was published as a PDF linked from job boards, and applications followed the instructions in that document.

CFAO Mobility Zambia – Graduate Trainee Program (two years)

CFAO Mobility Zambia, the motor group, opened its ninth graduate intake in June 2026 for fifteen trainees in Lusaka on a two-year programme with the possibility of permanent employment afterwards. The closing date was 24 June 2026. Eligibility was tight: a valid Grade 12 school certificate, a bachelor's degree obtained in the 2025–2026 academic years, no more than 25 years of age, and preferably no prior work experience. Applications could be emailed or delivered to the Group Human Resources Manager at the Cairo Road branch in Lusaka.

National Breweries – Apprentice/Graduate Trainee Programme

National Breweries Plc advertised graduate trainee roles in Lusaka and Kitwe in February 2026 (closing 19 February 2026) across production engineering, engineering, marketing, natural sciences and accounting. It asked for a Grade 12 certificate with five O-levels including English, Mathematics and Science, a degree (preferably 2022–2025 graduates), no experience, and the physical fitness to work shifts in an industrial environment.

NFC Africa Mining – graduate internship programme (Kitwe)

NFC Africa Mining Plc ran a 2026 graduate internship programme in Kitwe for roles such as Graduate Geologist, closing on 26 February 2026. According to the advert, 20 candidates were to start the internship, and after a one-month assessment the best 10 would be selected for company-sponsored training in China. Requirements included a Grade 12 certificate, a relevant degree, EIZ registration for engineering and metallurgy roles, and ZAQA-certified academic documents. Applications were submitted in hard or soft copy to the Human Resources Manager in Kitwe. If mining is your target, our guides to FQM jobs in Zambia and Lumwana mine jobs cover the larger operators.

MTN Zambia – Graduate Programme

MTN Zambia has advertised a graduate programme for Zambian graduates aged 20 to 26 with at least a bachelor's degree in Computer Science at Merit level or better, and it strongly encourages women to apply. We could not find a current advert with a closing date, so check MTN Zambia's careers page before relying on it.

When do graduate programmes open in Zambia?

There is no single national calendar, but the adverts from the last two years show three clusters. Several employers advertise between February and April (National Breweries and NFC Africa in February; KCM, ZAFFICO and ZESCO in April). A second group opens mid-year (PwC Zambia in May and June; CFAO Mobility in June). A third group recruits in the last quarter (Zanaco in late September; CEC in October). Treat these as patterns, not promises: an employer can change its timing, and some windows last less than a week.

How to apply for a graduate trainee programme: step by step

1. Get your documents verified now. Apply for ZAQA verification of your degree and Grade 12 certificate before you start applying. CEC and NFC Africa required it, and verification takes time.

2. Prepare one clean PDF. Most portals ask for a single file containing your application letter, CV and certificates. Name it with your full name and the position (for example, "Chanda-Mwila-Graduate-Trainee.pdf").

3. Write a short, specific CV. Two pages is enough for a fresh graduate. Include your degree class, relevant projects, internships or attachments, student leadership, and, for data or ICT roles, a link to a GitHub or online portfolio, which Zanaco explicitly welcomed.

4. Apply only through the channel in the advert. CEC and ZESCO accept online applications only; PwC rejects emailed CVs; CFAO and NFC Africa accepted physical or emailed submissions. Using the wrong channel usually means your application is never seen.

5. Check the closing date and time. Some adverts specify a cut-off time, often 17:00 on the closing day, and KCM's 2026 window was only three days long.

6. Get professional registration where it applies. Engineering graduates applying to mines should register with the Engineering Institution of Zambia; NFC Africa required EIZ registration for engineering and metallurgy roles.

7. Prepare for assessments. Graduate intakes commonly involve aptitude tests, group exercises and panel interviews. PwC notes that shortlisted candidates are contacted by email and that video interviews can be arranged on request.

You can browse current openings on our internship and graduate listings for Zambia and the wider jobs in Zambia page, which is updated as employers post new vacancies.

Avoid fake graduate programme adverts

Graduate schemes attract scammers because applicants are eager and inexperienced. No genuine employer on this list charges an application, "processing" or psychometric-test fee, and none recruits through WhatsApp groups. Always confirm the vacancy on the employer's own careers portal (recruitment.cec.com.zm, careers.zesco.co.zm, the Zanaco careers site, PwC's graduate portal or FirstRand's Workday site) before submitting personal documents, and be suspicious of any advert that asks you to pay for a uniform, medical examination or "appointment letter". Report suspected fraud to the employer directly.

Frequently asked questions

Are graduate trainees in Zambia paid?

Yes. Graduate trainees are employees on a fixed-term contract and receive a salary, although most adverts, including those from CEC, Zanaco and ZESCO, do not publish the figure. Internships, by contrast, may pay only an allowance.

Can I apply if I graduated more than two years ago?

It depends on the employer. Zanaco accepts graduates from the past four years and National Breweries preferred 2022–2025 graduates, while KCM limited its 2026 intake to people who graduated within two years and CFAO to the 2025–2026 academic years. Read the window in each advert carefully.

Do I need ZAQA verification before I apply?

Not for every programme, but CEC and NFC Africa required ZAQA-verified certificates in their 2026 adverts, and other employers may ask for them at the shortlisting stage. Starting the verification early is the safest option.

Which graduate programme in Zambia is open right now?

As at 29 October 2026, CEC's Graduate Development Programme (closing 6 November 2026) is the only intake on this list we could confirm as open. The PwC Zambia, Zanaco, ZESCO, KCM, ZAFFICO, CFAO and National Breweries intakes described above have closed, and their next rounds have not yet been announced.

Sources

• CEC recruitment portal (Graduate Development Trainees, VAC-2026-0043, closing 6 November 2026)

• PwC Zambia careers page and the firm's 2026 graduate recruitment advert (closing 20 June 2026)

• Zanaco careers and the Graduate Trainee – Strategy & Data advert (30 September to 11 October 2026)

• ZESCO careers portal (Graduate Information Systems Auditor, April 2026)

• Published adverts for KCM (April 2026), ZAFFICO (April 2026), CFAO Mobility Zambia (June 2026), National Breweries (February 2026), NFC Africa Mining (February 2026) and FNB Zambia (July 2025), as republished on Zambian job boards

Looking for your first job after university? Browse the latest vacancies in Zambia on Jobsiz, or read our guides to NGO jobs in Zambia and UN jobs in Zambia for other graduate-friendly employers.

Written by the Jobsiz Editorial Team. Last updated 29 October 2026. Closing dates were checked against the employers' adverts on the date shown; always confirm on the employer's own portal before applying.