Power Construction

About Power Construction

Power Construction is one of the two operating companies in the Power Group. The group is a privately owned South African construction and property business, founded in 1983 by Graham Power. It is among the largest unlisted construction companies in Southern Africa. Offices are in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Centurion and Swakopmund in Namibia.

The company builds roads and civil works, buildings and housing, and bulk earthworks. It also handles airport infrastructure, engineering management services and construction of renewable energy projects, including wind farms. Its stated purpose is to improve the quality of life in Africa through infrastructure development.

Civil engineering offers a wide range of work. Graduates can move into site management, design, planning, estimating or project management. Because Power Construction works on roads, housing and wind farms, a bursary holder can see several kinds of project. Students from small towns also benefit, since the company works close to the places they know.

How Power Construction supports students

Civil engineers are in short supply, and building them takes years. Power Construction therefore offers bursaries in civil engineering. Adverts describe support for students working towards a BSc, BEng or National Diploma in civil engineering or a construction-related field at an accredited institution.

One programme is local. It targets students from a small group of Western Cape towns near the company's project footprint: Gouda, Saron, Tulbagh and Porterville. Proof of address is required. In addition, the group advertises wider bursary and learnership opportunities for university and university of technology students through its careers portal.

The bursary helps with tuition and living costs, and it may include practical exposure inside the company. Holiday work on site can show a student what daily life in civil construction really looks like. That experience also helps when a graduate looks for a first job.

What to know before applying

The company looks for more than marks. Adverts ask for problem-solving ability, good computer skills, especially in Excel, strong people skills and leadership potential. Applicants should be willing to work and travel in outlying areas. A Code 08 driver's licence is a plus, though it is not compulsory.

Applicants submit a CV, a certified ID copy, full academic records and proof of residence. The company warns that incomplete applications may not be considered. Adverts have asked candidates to apply through the group's recruitment channels, with the bursary year stated in the subject line. The latest advert we found closed on 1 June 2026, but dates change every year.

Some summaries mention a work agreement that obliges recipients to work for Power Construction after graduating. However, we could not confirm the length or terms. Therefore, ask about any service period before you sign a contract.