Express your interest online for Fellowship at EMI today!
About EMI South Africa Fellowships
We are looking for individuals to join our fellowship programme from various design fields, which include: Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Architecture, Master Planning, Urban Design, and Construction Management.
EMI seeks raise up the next generation of Christian design professionals to be professionally competent and spiritually mature that they may be influencers in the Church and in the design profession worldwide. A fellowship with EMI South Africa gives recent South African graduates an opportunity to grow professionally and spiritually while being part of EMI’s ministry worldwide.
—Antonio Rafael, Civil Engineering Fellow, EMI South Africa
The EMI Fellowship is a career-training program for young design professionals. The Fellowship will prepare and equip you both professionally and spiritually for long-term service in missions and/or to serve and minister within the context of a design firm.
Duration and Location
- The Fellowship is 2-3 years in total. Fellows will spend their initial 16-24 months at one location (typically EMI South Africa) plus 8-12 months in one of our other worldwide locations
- Depending on professional discipline and career path, this may be adjusted or extended
- At the completion of the program, fellows interested in long-term staff opportunities may have additional steps within or outside of EMI in order to better prepare them for long-term service
Weekly Activities
EMI South Africa fellows will spend ~32 hours a week participating in traditional office activities including:
- Gain significant professional experience, training, and competence to advance fellows towards their professional goals (e.g. licensure requirements, professional interests, etc.)
- Grow to manage and work independently on smaller design projects
- Grow to coach and assist interns with design and drafting
- Serve as a Project Leader Assistant — project budget, recruiting, co-lead on trips
- Exposure to and familiarity with professional business practices (e.g. management, finance, project recruiting, budgeting, and practices unique to projects in the majority world)
In addition, fellows will spend ~13-18 “fellowship hours” a week with intentional development in:
- Biblical and Theological Training though an accredited Christian university towards a graduate certificate in Christian Ministry
- Missions and Outreach Training
- Spiritual Formation — discipleship groups and office devotionals
- Long-term professional and spiritual mentor relationships
Funding and Costs
- Support raising will be required to provide for some costs including up to 50% salary and start-up expenses. This will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
- EMI can provide coaching and support to help fellows through this process
For more about Fellowships, visit the EMI World page.
Q: How do I apply for an EMI fellowship?
A: Fill out an interest form and someone from our team will contact you. You will need to create or log-in to your EMI account to fill out the form.
Q: Are there prerequisites to becoming a fellow?
A: An EMI Internship, while not required, is excellent preparation and will give you a strong feel for EMI as an organization. If you have not interned, you are welcome to apply but you may be asked to participate in a project trip and/or attend an EMI event such that you can better know EMI and we can get to know you.
Q: What about licensure requirements?
A: Each fellow should review the state-specific requirements for their discipline and discuss this with the fellowship team as part of the application process.
Q: What would it be like to work at EMI South Africa?
A: Most South African fellows will begin their time at EMI South Africa. The team is comprised of staff with a variety of experience in design and cultures, so there is a lot to learn! You will grow alongside other fellows and be a part of multiple projects a year, including at least two project trips.
Q: What about after office hours?
A: Cape Town is full of opportunities for activities in the evenings and weekends! Restaurants, museums, hiking trails, beaches, and volunteer opportunities are all within an easy bus ride from the City Centre. Many of the local churches host life groups and young adult gatherings, and there are likely to be plenty of opportunities for serving and getting involved in church community.
Q: Will I work outside of EMI South Africa as well?
A: Yes! Each fellow will spend 6-12 months working with another EMI team to gain deeper cross-cultural exposure, experience the diversity of EMI worldwide, and apply the skills that you’ve been gaining into an international context. As opportunities arise, you may be able to begin your fellowship in another location, in which case you would still expect to serve in two EMI teams so that you gain a broader depth of experience.
Q: Am I a good fit for this?
A: Do you desire long-term involvement with EMI while developing as a young professional? Do you want to grow professionally and spiritually within the EMI context to better equip you to be an influencer within the design profession? If so, you could be a great fit and we would love to talk with you!
For more about Fellowships, visit the EMI World page.