Salaries range from R4 000 to R24 000 per month depending on several factors.
New data has revealed South Africa’s highest-paying entry-level jobs, highlighting the careers that offer the best pay for newcomers to the workforce.
Pnet’s Job Market Trends Report, released earlier in the month, explores some of South Africa’s top entry-level jobs, highlighting roles that offer accessible pathways into employment for young people with varying levels of education and experience.
From sales, administration and customer support to finance, information technology, engineering and marketing, the report identifies occupations that continue to create opportunities for the country’s next generation of talent.
Entry-level demand
As June is Youth Month in the country, the report also provides a snapshot of entry-level demand, giving people insight into potential career starting points.
“For school leavers, graduates and first-time jobseekers, identifying realistic entry points into employment can be difficult in an increasingly competitive job market,” notes the report.
“At the same time, employers across a range of industries continue to recruit entry-level talent to support business growth, succession planning and future skills development.”
Top entry-level jobs for school leavers
The report outlines seven jobs across different sectors that require only a National Senior Certificate (NSC) qualification. The cost to the company figures are market-related, according to the report.
- Call Centre Operator – R4 135 to R13 625 per month
- Merchandiser – R5 200 to R12 163 per month
- Admin Clerk – R5 875 to R10 784 per month
- Receptionist – R6 150 to R10 500 per month
- Claims Consultant – R8 855 to R11 280 per month
- Sales Representative – R11 649 to R20 735 per month
- Customer Support Agent – R11 671 to R17 170 per month
Top entry-level jobs for graduates
The report further listed a number of jobs that require a diploma and a degree qualification.
- Systems / Network Administrator – R10 690 to R14 750 per month
- Financial Accountant – R9 395 to R13 815 per month
- Bookkeeper – R9 375 to R18 357 per month
- Human Resources Assistant – R6 200 to R8 083 per month
- Software Developer – R12 508 to R23 488 per month
- Recruitment Consultant – R8 100 to R12 020 per month
- Marketing Assistant – R8 900 to R12 120 per month
- Electrical Engineer – R11 682 to R24 545 per month
Recruitment plays an important role
The report noted that for employers, entry-level recruitment plays an important role in building sustainable talent pipelines. “Investing in early-career talent not only helps organisations address future skills needs, but also creates opportunities to develop employees who understand the business from the ground up.”
For job seekers, the findings highlight that a successful career often begins with gaining practical workplace experience rather than immediately securing the perfect role. “Many of today’s most in-demand professionals started their careers in entry-level positions that provided foundational skills, industry exposure and opportunities for growth,” reads the report.
“The Pnet Job Market Trends Report has been created and interpreted by our expert team of data insights specialists. The report is based on empirical data sourced from Stepstone Group South Africa’s online recruitment platforms, which currently hold a combined database of over 8 million registered users.”