PropTech internships offer brighter futures for SA’s youth

• Nearly half of young South Africans face unemployment, with PropTech stepping in to bridge skills gaps and create pathways to work.
• MRI Software’s LEAD SA internship equips unemployed youth with industry-ready skills, spanning client services, data operations, and digital platforms.
• Investing in youth now ensures South Africa’s PropTech sector builds resilient, tech-savvy teams to drive smarter cities and future growth.

The Employment Crisis

The first job is often life-changing. But for millions of young South Africans, that opportunity remains painfully out of reach. According to Stats SA, 46.1% of 15 - 34-year-olds were unemployed in Q2 2025.

The situation is even more dire for those aged 15 - 24, where unemployment climbs to 62.4%, with more than 4.9 million youth jobless, three-quarters for over a year.

Long-term unemployment threatens not only personal livelihoods but also industry growth. In fast-moving fields like PropTech, the absence of adaptable, tech-savvy young talent creates serious risks for future innovation.

Building Brighter with LEAD SA

‍To counter this, companies are stepping up. MRI Software Africa’s LEAD SA internship programme offers unemployed 17 - 21-year-olds a unique entry into the PropTech industry.

Interns rotate across functions like client services and data operations, gaining a broad 12 month view of how PropTech businesses operate. Weekly structured training develops professional communication, problem-solving, and technical know-how.

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Mark Fairweather, Managing Director of MRI Software Africa, says: “Building Brighter is a vision at MRI to create a brighter future. That means smarter cities, empowered communities, sustainable developments, and more accessible opportunities. PropTech is the enabler of this brighter future in South Africa.”

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Future-Ready Skills for a Digital Economy

‍The urgency is reinforced by the latest NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training) data: 37.1% of South Africans aged 15 - 24 and 45.1% of 15 - 34-year-olds are disengaged from both learning and work. Without bold interventions, this risks sliding into generational unemployment.

PropTech offers a lifeline, its blend of property and technology requires precisely the adaptable, digital-first skills today’s youth can master with the right support.

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Melissa Wessels, Director of Professional Services at MRI Software Cape Town, explains: “We launched MRI SA LEAD to create real access for young people, communities, and the industry. Through the programme’s three pillars, we are empowering individuals through personal growth, building product and platform mastery, and developing future-ready skills. We’re equipping interns to contribute from day one and to grow well beyond it.”

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The Road Ahead

‍South Africa’s youth unemployment crisis is daunting, but also presents an opportunity. By investing in training, internships, and real career pathways, PropTech companies like MRI Software are not only building brighter futures for young people but also securing the sector’s growth.

For the property and technology industries, the challenge is clear: empower today’s youth, and you build tomorrow’s cities.

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