FABI welcomed five new candidates in the Centre for Plant Health Biotechnology (CPHB) Internship in Phytosanitation and Biosecurity programme. Noluthando Gwala, Thamia Laka, Colisane Nyoni, Junior Mateya and Nthando Vilakazi have started their 12-month training programme on 2 February that exposes them to scientific best practice. They will participate in all FABI’s activities and conduct research under the supervision of a supervisor. The supervisors include Prof. Cobus Visagie, Prof. Martin Coetzee, Dr Juanita Avontuur, Dr Markus Wilken, Dr David Nsibo and Dr David Read. They will also attend a writing course, get PCR and sequencing training, and attend a CV writing and plagiarism course. Another important component is their participation in field trips that give them the opportunity to interact with industry partners and gain firsthand experience of the impact of pests and pathogens in the field. FABI gratefully acknowledges the financial support of this programme received from its partners, the South African Cultivar and Technology Agency (SACTA). Since the inception of the programme in 2019, 57 interns have completed their training, with 22 of these being funded through SACTA’s generous support of the programme.