Bursary opportunities for young people

Sonia Malinga (23) from Piet Retief in Mpumalanga says being a Shoprite Group bursary recipient has ensured a promising future for her.

Malinga received the bursary from the South African retailer in 2018. She applied for the bursary after finishing high school at Hoërskool Piet Retief.

“Growing up, I initially wanted to be a doctor, but later I started exploring other options. I read about supply chain and logistics management and was almost instantly attracted to it. I remember I used to sit and watch the trucks drive in and out of my hometown and wonder who was ensuring that the quality and quantity of goods were correct and that they arrived at the correct delivery point. That’s when I found my passion,” says Malinga.

Malinga obtained a BCom Honours degree in Logistics Management at the University of Johannesburg and started her career with Shoprite as a distribution centre trainee manager in February 2021. She was recently promoted to store replenishment analyst. 

Being part of the Shoprite Group has broadened Malinga’s knowledge of the retail industry. “It has taught me even more about logistics management and enabled me to continuously develop my skills and advance in my career,” she says.

How to apply

Applications for the Shoprite Group’s all-inclusive bursary programme are open for the 2023 academic year. The bursary ranges from R45 000 to R70 000 per annum, based on the field of study and institution. It includes tuition fees, books, on-campus accommodation allowances and work back agreements.

Basic entry needs include being a South African citizen, having completed matric/grade 12 and not being older than 27 years.

Bursaries are available in the following fields of study and applicants should be in their particular year of study at the time of their application:

• Pharmacy (first, second, third and fourth year)
• Retail business management (first, second and third year)
• Accounting (second, third and fourth year)
• E-commerce: UI design (second and third year)
• Food sciences (second, third and fourth year)
• Information technology (second and third year)
• Logistics and supply chain (third and fourth year).