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Accelerate Your Future: Traineeships with Marriott in South Africa

speaker at a Marriott traineeship in South Africa

Accelerate is Marriott’s in-service training program in South Africa, which we’ve been running since 1986. It offers both on-the-job and academic training to form the foundations of a bright career in the hospitality industry.

Accelerate has been hugely beneficial, both for us as a company and for our trainees’ careers. So far, more than 60% of our senior managers and hotel general managers in South Africa have graduated through Accelerate. And between 2014 and 2023, an amazing 2,493 trainees passed through the program!

What can I expect from the Accelerate program?

We provide two streams: Hospitality Management and Professional Cookery. The program equips trainees with practical skills, theoretical knowledge and a broad understanding of the hospitality industry. They graduate with a recognised qualification, setting them on the right path for a rewarding, long-term career.

An Accelerate traineeship provides:

  • On-the-job experience in either Hospitality Management or Professional Cookery
  • Academic training, taught virtually through a trusted education institution
  • Paid, contracted employment
  • A recognised qualification at the end

For the Hospitality Management program, we partner with:

  • Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Hotel School
  • University of Johannesburg School of Tourism & Hospitality

For the Professional Cookery program, we partner with:

  • Capsicum Culinary Studio, Cape Town
  • HTA School of Culinary Arts, Johannesburg

As part of the program, trainees are placed with up to three separate hotels in the company portfolio. This means they can experience working in different environments, such as resort or city-centre properties. Our trainees spend a minimum of one year with a hotel before being transferred to a new one.

Check out our current openings here.

How long does the Accelerate program last?

In total, you’ll need to commit five years to complete the Accelerate program:

  • Orientation / Experiential year
  • 1st year
  • 2nd year
  • 3rd year
  • Work back year

You’ll need to complete the orientation/experiential year of working in the hotel industry, before you apply for the formal four years of the program.

For the ‘work back’ year, you’ll need to find and apply for a job with us to complete this. (In the rare case of a trainee not being able to do this themselves, we can place them in a role for this period.)

Years 1 to 3 are divided up as follows:

  • 43 weeks of hands-on practical training in a designated hotel
  • 6 weeks studying Hospitality Management or Professional Cookery at a top hotel school, with virtual instructor-led training
  • 3 weeks of annual leave

Who is eligible for the Accelerate program?

To be eligible for a traineeship on the Accelerate program, you’ll need to have:

  • South African citizenship
  • Proof that you’re at least 18 and no older than 22 during your experiential year
  • At least one year of full-time experience working in the hotel industry (this is your Orientation/Experiential year, as mentioned above)
  • Matric (Grade 12) certificate or equivalent accredited NQF Level 4 qualification (we require a pass in all Matric Grade 12 subjects, normally 7 subjects in total, preferably with a result of at least 50%)

Note that applications are not open to those with post Matric / NQF 4 qualifications.

What our Accelerate graduates have to say

Now you’ve got the idea of what Accelerate is all about, it’s time to hear from two graduates of our Accelerate program. They have both gone on to excel in different roles with Marriott.

For Karen B., Cluster Director of Sales, Consumer Operations, Johannesburg, “The Accelerate Program was an absolutely incredible experience. It really did push me through my career. I learned a lot, I met a lot of people throughout the years in the industry. If you work hard in this program, if you really go the extra mile, you can really accelerate your career quickly within the company.”

Another Accelerate graduate Mishane S. currently works in Cape Town as our Talent Programs Coordinator for Europe, Middle East and Africa.

“Accelerate afforded me the opportunity to work in properties alongside various leaders, and this has elevated my career to where I am today.”

“Accelerate afforded me the opportunity to work in properties alongside various leaders, and this has elevated my career to where I am today.”

Mishane Smith, talent programs coordinator, EMEA

Ready to kickstart your hospitality career?

Our traineeships are live. If you have South African citizenship and are interested in becoming a Marriott trainee, visit our careers site.

Got a burning question for our careers team? Email us at: careers.emea@marriott.com.

Marriott International is an equal opportunity employer. We believe in hiring a diverse workforce and sustaining an inclusive, people-first culture. We are committed to non-discrimination on any protected basis, such as disability and veteran status, or any other basis covered under applicable law.

This aforementioned list provides a brief overview of benefits offered to eligible employees of Marriott International and participating subsidiaries in Europe, Middle East and Africa. All benefits are subject to terms and conditions. Marriott may, in its sole discretion, enhance, modify, decrease, or terminate any benefit program or any terms and conditions at any time without advance notice. Marriott benefits do not apply to employees of businesses operated by independent franchisees.