From bursaries to graduate programmes, Nilza Makhubela and Lester Nkuna are building their careers at Nestlé.
This month marked International Youth Day 2026, a global moment to recognise young people’s potential and the support they need to thrive. The theme, “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations”, reminds us that across Eastern and Southern Africa, young professionals share fundamental hopes: the chance to learn, to contribute and to build something meaningful.
Nilza Makhubela and Lester Nkuna embody that aspiration. They’re not fresh graduates trying to figure out what’s next, but young professionals actively shaping careers, learning their craft and discovering what they're capable of. Their stories show why backing young talent matters.
Nilza’s story
A few years ago, Nilza was a student with big aspirations but questions about how to get there. Then she received a Nestlé Future Talent bursary. It covered her studies but did something more important. It gave her a signal that someone believed she was worth backing.
“Nestlé didn’t just invest in my education, it invested in my potential,” she says. “As someone who started as a student with aspirations, receiving support to complete my studies opened doors I once only dreamed of.”
After graduating, Nilza joined the Nestlé Graduate Programme, a two-year rotational experience placing young graduates into substantive roles across different parts of the business. For Nilza, those rotations did something unexpected. They helped her discover where she belonged.
“The Graduate Programme gave me the confidence to turn theory into practice, exposing me to different parts of the business and allowing me to discover my passion for people.” – Nilza Makhubela, HR Administrator, Nestlé East and Southern Africa Region
Today, Nilza works as an HR Administrator. She onboards new employees, supports wellness programmes, helps other graduates and YES Learners navigate their early careers and drives engagement activities during organisational change. The work is hands-on, people-focused and exactly where she wants to be.
“What has been most meaningful for me is being part of initiatives that directly touch employees’ lives,” she shares. “Whether supporting wellness programmes, welcoming new employees during onboarding, helping graduates and YES Learners begin their careers, or driving engagement activities during times of change, I’ve had the privilege of creating moments where people feel supported, valued and connected.”
Lester’s story
Lester Nkuna is developing his career the same way many young professionals do: through collaboration, hands-on learning and cross-functional exposure. As an HR Admin Officer, he's gaining experience across HR processes, employee support and administrative operations, learning what it takes to enable a workforce to thrive.
“Nestlé has supported my growth journey by providing opportunities to develop my skills and broaden my experience within Human Resources,” Lester explains. “Through my role as an HR Admin Officer, I have gained valuable exposure to HR processes, employee support and administrative operations, which has strengthened both my professional capabilities and confidence”
“I have benefited from collaborating with colleagues across different teams and participating in initiatives that enhance operational efficiency and employee experience. These opportunities have allowed me to expand my knowledge, contribute meaningfully to the business and continuously develop in my career.” – Lester Nkuna, HR Admin Officer, Nestlé East and Southern Africa Region
What stands out about both Nilza and Lester is how they see their work: not as early-career tasks to get through, but as meaningful contributions that support people and help the organisation operate effectively.
For Lester, this means ensuring accurate administration, timely support, and a positive employee experience. For Nilza, it means every appointment letter processed, query resolved, wellness initiative delivered, and new employee welcomed contributes to a workplace where people can thrive.
Skills, mentorship and real opportunity
Nilza and Lester represent what is possible when businesses invest in youth through tangible support that creates real pathways into work, learning, and long-term growth.
Our youth investment in 2025
• 89,103 youth supported with work-readiness & entrepreneurship training
• 200 skilled through traineeships, internships & apprenticeships
• 180 completed YES learnerships
• 86 Future Talent Bursaries awarded
• 17 graduates in the Graduate Programme
Creating pathways across Nestlé ESAR
Source: Nestlé ESAR Creating Shared Value and Sustainability Publication 2025
These programmes work because young people need more than access to jobs. They need skills, mentorship, and genuine opportunities to contribute. Through Nestlé needs YOUth, partnerships such as Farming in Heels, Career HookUp and Youth Connect events, and apprenticeships, Nestlé ESAR is helping young people build confidence, gain practical experience and find clearer pathways into the future of work.
The lesson is clear: backing youth is good for young people, good for business and good for communities.
“Looking back, Nestlé didn't simply offer me a career,” Nilza says. “It gave me a platform to grow, contribute, and become the professional I am today.”
Nilza and Lester are still early in their journeys, but they are already building something tangible: skills, confidence and careers that matter.
“Nestlé didn't just invest in my education, it invested in my potential.” – Nilza Makhubela, HR Administrator, Nestlé East and Southern Africa Region
We’re proud to back young people like Nilza and Lester, and the thousands of others across Eastern and Southern Africa who are shaping their futures with us. Their stories show what happens when belief becomes action and when supporting youth becomes an investment in all our futures.
