VML South Africa’s latest cohort of interns has graduated and joined the agency as fully fledged staff members. They share advice for others aspiring to a career in Adland.
Twelve talented new recruits recently joined the team at VML South Africa after completing a year-long internship with the agency. “Each intern was placed in a department related to their field of study/interest for hands-on exposure to meaningful work in asupportive learning environment,” says Khumo du Toit, Learning and Development Manager at VML South Africa.
Paired with manager mentors, the interns were there to work as much as to learn. The reward for success: an opportunity to join the agency as permanent members of staff. “Our aim was to ensure they felt fully integrated into the teams as early as possible,” says du Toit. “Permanent placement was not a given. Offers were earned through merit and are a testament to the interns’ hard work and dedication throughout the programme.”
For the former interns, becoming permanent confirms the value they’ve added to the agency. Account Executive and former intern Kamogelo More compares an internship to the role an oxpecker plays, sitting on an elephant’s back. “It really looks like small work that the bird is doing, but it brings harmony and balance to the ecosystem,” she observes, adding that interns should recognise the important roles they play and take them seriously. “Even when you are learning, you are still a professional. So don’t see yourself as a learner only – see yourself as a professional who is at a junior level.”
Paying it forward
As this cohort swaps their email signatures from “intern” to permanent job titles, applications for the next intake have already opened. And the class of 2025-2026 has some advice to share with new recruits.
Stay curious and keep learning
An internship is an opportunity to learn from seasoned professionals, and the graduates stress the importance of not letting that opportunity go to waste. “Be like a curious child in school,” says Junior Art Director Luyanda Shabalala. “Ask questions, listen tounderstand, be active and always believe that you belong in the room, because you do!”
“The most important piece of advice I can give any intern is ASK AS MANY QUESTIONS AS YOU NEED TO,” agrees Operations Administrator Noxolo Manzini. “It doesn’t matter if you need something to be repeated to you 20 times before you get it right; it is so much better to ask and do the right thing than to be scared to ask and do the wrong thing. You are an intern for a reason; you are not supposed to know it all.”
Take initiative
That can mean looking for opportunities to be of service and proactively volunteering ideas, but it also means seeking out people tolearn from and striking up conversations. “In advertising, there is so much to learn from different departments, whether it is creative, strategy, media or production,” says Account Executive Phenyo Ranta. “Even a quick chat with a colleague from another department can help you understand the work better and see the bigger picture.”
Don’t let self-doubt hold you back
It can be daunting walking into an agency job for the first time. Junior Data Analyst Kgaogelo Phooko recalls struggling with imposter syndrome in the beginning. “I felt like everyone else knew what they were doing except me. Because of that, I sometimes held myself back,” she says.
But she learnt that “growth doesn’t happen by waiting for opportunities to come to you; you have to go looking for them.” Kgaogelo started asking questions, job shadowing colleagues and showing interest in different projects. “Now I am in charge of monthly and weekly reports and doing presentations. I can finally see my contributions to the team, and I feel like I belong.”
It helps to remember that people are rooting for you, says Junior Copywriter Anthony Maboee. “The biggest lesson I have learnt from the internship was that everyone wants to see you win and grow.”
Learn to manage yourself, not just your work
An internship teaches you more than the skills you need to do your job, as the graduates soon learnt. For Junior Copywriter Sihle Delport-Wetselaar, that meant learning to be patient with herself. “I thought that after the first six months or so I was meant to know exactly what I was doing and stand on my own,” she says. “It’s okay to still be figuring out how things work in the business, and with different clients and colleagues.”
Meanwhile, Account Executive Gcina Ndweni learnt that staying silent when you’re struggling helps no one. “When I first started, I had this deep need to prove myself,” he recalls. “I took on every single task that came my way because I never wanted to be the person holding the team back. But the truth is, I was taking on too much. I over-promised, struggled to prioritise, and sometimes couldn’t deliver on time.”
Gcina’s mentor gave him a piece of sound advice. “She taught me that asking for help does not mean you can’t do the work and that if you speak up early, the team can solve problems while they are still small, before they turn into fires. Her guidance changed everything for me.”
Junior Art Director Fumani Rikhotso learnt the importance of time management and emotional regulation. “It’s easy for the hustle and bustle of life to make you lose track of deadlines,” he says. “It is also important to understand that feedback and work stress can be better managed if one keeps a cool head and doesn’t take anything to heart.”
Not every internship ends with a job offer. But being teachable and willing to work on yourself, learning as much as you can, and making a good impression can set you up for the rest of your career.
The VML internship graduates of 2025-2026 are:
Anthony Maboee – Junior Copywriter
Fumani Rikhotso – Junior Art Director
Gcina Ndweni – Account Executive
Hailey Sookoo – Account Executive
Kamogelo More – Account Executive
Kgaogelo Phooko – Junior Data Analyst
Luyanda Shabalala – Junior Art Director
Noxolo Manzini – Operations Administrator
Phenyo Ranta – Account Executive
Refiloe Sehloho – Junior Motion Designer
Sihle Delport-Wetselaar – Junior Copywriter
Tokollo Manamela – Junior Traffic Manager
